La Magie de Miraculous
by mitchkat1
Summary: In a Paris filled with hidden magic, Marinette is tasked with becoming Ladybug, protector of the city. During her first battle with akuma, she discovers she isn't alone in her fight and meets Chat Noir, an amnesiac black cat that somehow transforms into a human. The magic doesn't stop there as the two discover secrets about themselves, their enemy, and the deceased prince Adrien?AU
1. Chapter 1

**It's finally here! I've been working on this story for months and am very excited to be able to post it. It's a bit different from my usual works since it's basically an AU story. Still, I hope you enjoy! :)**

 **Also, I created a new tumblr blog dedicated to all things Miraculous and fantasy themed. If that interests you, just check out Miraculous Fairytales on tumblr! And check out the Miraculous discord chat I've started** **where you can talk about the show (including spoilers if you want) and share fancreations! Link also found on my personal tumblr: mitchkat1**

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"Adrien, I'm not sure this is such a good idea," the tiny, flying black cat said in a worried tone. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding a piece of cheese gingerly in his paws. Normally, he would have devoured the entire block in one swift bite, but he was too nervous now to eat. For once, something had become more important than food. His small whiskers twitched as he pouted and set the cheese aside. His cautionary words garnered no response.

"Adrien, I'm serious," the creature repeated to his companion. He looked up to see his friend and partner, Adrien Agreste, otherwise known as the Prince of Paris, fiddling with the silver ring on his finger. The prince was dressed elegantly as any prince would be. His pants were a tan matched with a loose-fitting white tunic. His hair was golden like the sun and his eyes green like emeralds. He was perfection in every sense of the word though he rarely felt like that himself.

He stared down at his ring. It felt uncomfortably tight right now even though he knew it was exactly the right size. Adrien leaned back in his chair and took in a deep breath. He needed to calm himself down and think rationally. He and Plagg, his kwami, were having a discussion of a grave sort. It was rare for either of them to have sincere conversation without busting out into puns or other bad jokes, but this occasion was different. There was more at stake than just their sense of humor.

"I'm serious too, Plagg. I know it isn't the best option, but it's the only one we have. You said so yourself. Something bad is going to happen. There's someone out there right now who plans on putting this city in danger... my city in danger. I'm the prince and I need to take responsibility. If we do this, there's a chance I might be able to stop it. But the me right now isn't enough. The power we have right now isn't enough to stop what's coming. You can tell me that's not true until you're blue in the face, but I know you're lying."

"I shouldn't have said anything in the first place then." Plagg dropped his head in regret. He had made a mistake and unnecessarily sent Adrien into emotional turmoil. It was a secret that Plagg wished he had kept to himself. At the time, he thought it would be a good idea to make Adrien aware of the true reason why Chat Noir needed to make a reappearance. It was only meant to offer Adrien some incentive. How was he supposed to know the boy would take things too far?

"But you did," Adrien sighed, letting his face fall into his palms. "And I can't sit by and wait for disaster to happen. I will stop it. I have to."

The determination and resolve in his voice shocked Plagg. The boy in front of him was not the same boy he met a few months ago. When the two had first met, Adrien was quiet and reserved. He felt powerless and trapped inside the rotting prison he called his home. Plagg had never seen such a hopeless boy. The only times Adrien ever smiled was when he was allowed to leave the palace for trips around the marketplace or introductions with the common people. He was controlled by his father like a pawn on a chessboard. The idea of freedom was foreign to him. Right now was the first time Adrien have ever made a decision of his own accord.

A chilling breeze spilled through the room causing Plagg to shiver. The sun was beginning to set which would have normally been a beautiful sight if not for the dreary, grey clouds blocking it. Plagg's ears perked up at the quiet rumble of thunder in the background. A rough storm was coming. It seemed like nature was saying this was a big mistake. A storm could only be an evil omen, a sign of bad things to come.

"And how do you propose going through with this ridiculous plan of yours?" Plagg sighed in a slightly spiteful tone. "I certainly don't know that kind of high-level magic, but it's not like I planned on helping you anyways. I'm upset we're even still having this conversation."

Adrien rose from his chair and shuffled over to a large bookcase against the wall of his bedroom. He ran his finger across the spines, searching for a specific book. His eyes examined each title carefully. His finger stopped on an old book with withered binding. The title was faded, but Adrien knew what it said. He muttered a hushed "this is it" as he pulled the book from of the shelf.

"As soon as I met you, Plagg, I headed to the royal library to do more research on this miraculous thing," Adrien explained as he dropped the book on top of a table in front of Plagg. "I had so many questions and you certainly weren't helpful in answering any of them. The library didn't have much about miraculouses, but I did find this book. It's an ancient spellbook."

"And why is that book in your bedroom and not in the royal library?"

Adrien blushed in embarrassment. "I stole it, okay," he confessed sheepishly. "But this is really important. It has a spell for enhancing magical power. If we use it, we'll definitely have enough power to stop that great evil that's coming."

"Or we could wait for Ladybug to appear."

 _Ladybug._

That was a name Plagg had mentioned a few times. He never talked about her extensively as if he was unsure about her existence himself. All Adrien knew was that she was supposed to be his counterpart. They were supposed to be a team and fight evil together. She was all things good luck and he was all things bad. They were two halves of a whole. Too bad she didn't seem to exist.

"It's been three months since I first met you," Adrien pointed out sadly. "And she hasn't appeared yet. I can't wait around for a girl that might never come. We can handle this on our own! We don't have a choice! How much longer can we afford to wait?"

Adrien wanted to meet this "Ladybug" just as much as Plagg. He wondered what kind of girl would be chosen to wield such great magical power. There had been no sign of her, though. He had spent countless nights running across the rooftops of Paris looking for some kind of signal, but there had been nothing. Not even a girl wearing a red and black spotted dress. Adrien was starting to doubt that Ladybug was real and wondered if she was just a lie Plagg invented to stop Adrien from going through with his plan.

"Look at this!" Adrien exclaimed. He found the page he was looking for and began to read the text on it. "See Plagg! It's a simple spell. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but why not try? We have nothing to lose! All we have to do is copy this circle onto the ground and then recite the spell."

"Rune magic?" Plagg questioned cautiously. "I haven't seen this for thousands of years. Magicians switched over to magical objects about a century ago since they were more stable and reliable. Runes can get tricky. If everything isn't completely right, we could end up with a serious disaster on our hands. This is more dangerous than you think. Even with your miraculous, you're still a beginner in magic."

"Don't be such a worrywart." Adrien walked over to his dresser and opened the top drawer. Inside was a piece of chalk that he had snatched from the palace artist. It was the only thing Adrien needed for the spell besides the book.

Adrien began to shove all the furniture out of the way. He pushed his bed against the bookshelf and moved all the chairs to the side. Plagg watched anxiously, still not having much confidence in Adrien's plan. The teenage boy kneeled on to the ground and began to draw the picture from the book, taking care to make sure that every line was completely perfect.

Drawing the rune took only ten minutes. Once he was done, Adrien stood up and admired his work. It was a large circle with strange swirls and symbols emerging from the sides. He didn't know what any of it meant, but everything seemed to match the image in the book. Now it was time for the spell. Adrien grabbed the book and stepped into the center of the circle. Plagg flew over and sat on his shoulder.

"Are you still sure you want to go through with this?" the kwami asked after taking another look at the spell. It was more complicated than Adrien thought and Plagg didn't know how well ancient magic would mix with his miraculous magic. There were too many variables for Plagg to feel comfortable. A lot could easily go wrong. Magic was simply unpredictable. Plagg prayed Adrien might change his mind.

"I'm sure," Adrien said firmly. " _I have to be. Everyone's counting on me even if they don't know it."_ Adrien bit his lip and relaxed his shoulders. " _Stay calm. Breathe. Everything will be fine. After this is over, Plagg and I will be able to go out and kick some bad guy butt no problem. It's worth it. I can't let others get hurt because I didn't do my part."_

Adrien began to recite the spell, making sure to enunciate each syllable. The spell was in a language he didn't recognize, but he was able to sound out the words. The rune began to glow a faint green which was hopefully a signal that the spell was working. Adrien continued to chant as Plagg began to cower, tightly gripping onto Adrien's shirt. Something about this magic frightened him.

Everything in the room began to rattle as if it was controlled by an unnatural force. The room turned dark except for the now vibrant glow of the rune. All other light seemed to have been sucked into a void. A mysterious wind picked up and blew past Adrien, ruining his hair. Small specks of green light began to float up from the floor and popped in the air like bubbles.

" _Please work,"_ Adrien thought in desperation as he completed the final words of the spell.

All of a sudden, the wind began to pick up even more. It was like a cyclone ripping through the bedroom. The sounds of clattering furniture could be heard from the rooms below. Quiet, indistinguishable whispers began to chant words in a foreign tongue. The whole world around Adrien began to blur like he was moving a hundred miles an hour while still standing in place. Then the green glow from the rune began to travel up Adrien's legs, consuming him like a starving predator.

"Plagg!" Adrien screamed, dropping the book on the ground. "Plagg! What's happening?" The green glow had traveled up to his waist and while Adrien shook with all his might, it wouldn't come off. Plagg tried to fly away in panic but found himself trapped by an invisible barrier. He was captive within the confines of the rune like Adrien.

The chants became even louder causing an intense pounding in Adrien's ears. The light from the rune was becoming so bright that Adrien could hardly keep his eyes open. The wind ripped at his clothing and sent shivers down his spine. His mind was going numb, his consciousness beginning to flicker in and out.

The magic was up to Adrien's neck now and was reaching out to grab Plagg with invisible hands. The two exchanged frightened glances. Neither knew what was happening. Adrien let out a sudden painful scream and gripped his hand. His ring felt like it was burning through his skin. The sound of his cries was enough to alert anyone in the palace.

"Plagg!"

"Adrien!"

There was an explosion of green light, causing the entire castle to shake. Then everything went silent. All the furniture fell to the ground and the green glow faded away as quickly as it had arrived. There was a crack of lightning from outside the window and the sound of heavy rainfall. The lightning cast the dark shadow of a lone figure lying unconscious on the floor.

The figure began to stir and groaned loudly, grasping his head. "What's going on?" he whispered to himself. His voice was hoarse and his throat hurt. He pushed himself up onto one leg and almost fell over. His body was unsteady. He grabbed onto a chair that had fallen over to keep himself balanced. Pulling the chair along with him, he drug himself over to a cracked mirror hanging on the wall. He looked at the mirror and saw a strange creature staring back.

He looked like a human boy in some ways. He had hair and feet like a normal person, but there were parts of him definitely not human. Atop his head was a pair of soft cat ears that twitched as he moved. His hands were pointed like sharp claws. A long tail sprouted from his backside, moving with a mind of its own. His green eyes were slit like a cat's. Despite the room being dark, he could see everything clearly.

His senses were in an overload. He could smell the dampness from outside in conjunction with the aromatic scent of cheese in the room. He could hear the muffled cries of people from floors below, but they sounded like they were right next to him. His head was beginning to pound and the pain made it difficult to focus.

" _Is this me?"_ he thought as he touched a paw to the mirror. The cracked pieces distorted the view, but it was clear he didn't recognize what he was looking at. " _But who... who am I? I don't remember."_ The boy looked down at himself and around the room, but he remembered nothing. " _Where am I? What's going on?"_

He leaned down beside the drawing on the ground and the open spellbook. His claws traced the outline of the rune in the book. " _Magic?"_ he wondered, setting the book back. " _Was someone doing magic here? Is that why this room is a mess? Why was I unconscious on the ground here? There has to be someone here that can explain things."_

There was a sudden pounding on the door. "Prince! Prince Adrien! Open up! Please!" voices shouted from the other side. "What's happening? Are you okay? Open the door!"

The boy inched his way towards the corner in fear. " _Who are these people? Who's Prince Adrien? Can someone explain what's going on? Please!"_

The door burst open and a dozen knights covered in steel armor emerged, their swords in hand. Behind them was a regal looking man with a stern face. He pushed his glasses up his nose and put his hands behind his back. His eyes set on the boy and narrowed. They were distinctly evil. "Who are you?" he snarled, his voice filled with venom. "Where is my son?"

The boy began to shake and said nothing. He didn't know what to say. He had the same questions as the man.

"Arrest him now!" the man shouted, pointing at the frightened boy. The guards lunged at him, prepared to use violence if necessary. The boy let out a panicked yelp and realized he needed to escape, but the door was blocked and the only other exit was a small window. Only a tiny animal could get through.

Instinct began to take over as the boy felt a warm rush come over him accompanied by a dull, green glow. His body began to shrink and he felt fur began to grow all over. Short whiskers emerged from his face as he jumped up on little paws onto the windowsill.

"A cat!" one of the guards shouted. "He turned into a cat! He must be a magician!" All the guards stopped in their tracks. Neither one of them wanted to take on a magician. It was too dangerous. They were unpredictable and could be volatile. It was impossible to fight powerful magic with only a sword. They all looked back at their boss, who was still standing behind them, for guidance.

"Imbeciles!" the intimidating man shouted, pushing through the guards. "Capture him now before he gets away!"

The boy, now cat, looked out the window. It was a long drop to the bottom and the only thing between him and the ground was a tree, but it was a few meters out of reach. He'd have to jump far if he wanted to make it. He turned back to the guards who had begun to head towards him again. Their swords were out and ready to spill blood. His green, slitted eyes met the icy blue ones of the regal man. The man had a vicious expression. He planned on showing no mercy.

The cat took another look at the tree and realized he had no choice. He pushed himself out of the window with a leap of faith and reached his paws out to the nearest branch, praying that he would latch onto something. His claws sunk into wood and leaves hit against his face. " _I made it,"_ he thought gratefully as he slid down the rest of the branch.

"He's getting away! Stop him and someone find my son!"

The cat could hear more screaming from the castle as he began to climb down from the tree. He quickly maneuvered through the branches as if it was something he had known how to do all his life. His paws landed on the soft and familiar grass. Once he was down, he took off in a panic. He didn't know where to go, but he knew he had to get away from here.

His paws had become caked in mud, a result of the heavy rain. His limbs were heavy and each step was a challenge. He entered a large forest that surrounded the outskirts of the castle and took refuge underneath a fallen tree. He curled up in a ball, trying to find warmth. So many questions were racing through his mind. " _Who am I? Why were those men after me? What's happening? Where am I? Where am I supposed to go?"_

The cat could remember absolutely nothing about his identity. He couldn't remember anything at all except for one word that had for some reason stuck in his head.

 _Ladybug._


	2. Chapter 2

******_In celebration of this new fic, why not two chapters at once, eh? :)_**

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 _1 Year Later..._

"Thank you for your purchase and have a nice day," Marinette smiled sweetly at the customer she was helping. The woman smiled back and told Marinette to take care. She left the bakery and once she was out of sight, Marinette fell back against the counter, letting out an annoyed groan.

Marinette worked at her parents' bakery which was centered right in the heart of Paris. It was a quaint, little shop that drew in customers ranging from the upper to lower classes. The bakery was connected to the Dupain-Cheng household which occupied the upper floors of the building. Running a bakery was a laborious job so the entire family was needed to keep the place running smooth. That meant Marinette had to fill in for her parents whenever they were away and it was not one of her favorite jobs.

"Isn't it time to close yet?" she asked aloud. " _I've been working for at least five hours. Don't I deserve a break? Maman and Papa are still away, but I think if I work another minute, I might collapse from exhaustion."_ Marinette eyed the "closed" sign that was sitting on the back shelf. She raised an eyebrow and thought, " _It wouldn't be too bad if I closed just for a little while, would it? No one's going to notice."_

Marinette reached for the sign and stole it from the shelf. She quickly headed towards the door when something grabbed at her dress and yanked her down towards the ground with a _thud_! "Ow!" Marinette moaned as she looked behind her. Her dress had gotten caught on one of the cabinets, holding her hostage.

" _Why am I always so clumsy?"_ Marinette moaned while she pulled her dress free. There was a tiny tear from where it had gotten caught. The thread was completely unraveling and if she didn't fix it soon, it would become a large and revealing hole. " _I'll have to fix it later, but I'd better close the shop first."_

Marinette quickly hung the "closed" sign and locked the door with a satisfied smirk. Marinette turned around, making sure she wasn't caught on anything this time. She planned on heading upstairs to mend her dress when there was a loud knock at the door.

"We're closed right now!" Marinette announced, not bothering to turn around. She waved her hand nonchalantly, hoping the customer would get the message. "We'll be open in a little bit though. Please come back later!"

"Girl, you'd better open this door right now before I open it myself!"

Marinette swerved around to see her best friend, Alya, waiting impatiently outside. With arms crossed, she tapped her foot impatiently. Her eyes narrowed as she made eye contact with Marinette. Alya pointed down at the lock and mouthed the words, "Open up". The pigtailed girl rushed to the door and quickly unlocked it, letting her friend inside.

"I completely forgot you were coming!" Marinette apologized, bowing her head. "I was really busy working and needed a break and then-"

"Say no more," Alya laughed as she gave her friend a slap on the back. "You're lucky I don't plan on ratting you out to your parents. How mad would they be if they found out you closed the bakery in the middle of the day especially on a busy day like this?"

"That's why you shouldn't tell them?"

"I can keep my lips sealed, but for a price. Got any leftovers?"

Marinette giggled and pulled out a tray of day old pastries from beneath the counter. "I kept these just for you!" she smiled, offering the tray to her friend. "Take as many as you want. We can't sell them anymore after all." Alya grabbed fistfuls of treats and began to eat them one by one.

"Your parents certainly are the best bakers in all of Paris!" Alya laughed as she took a bite of cookie. "No wonder even Mr. Bourgeois eats here! And he's the most important man in the city aside from the king of course!"

"Ugh, don't remind me." Marinette rolled her eyes and slouched down against the counter. "Every time he comes by he brings Chloe. Seeing her at lessons is already more than I can handle. I can't stand that little brat. She acts like all of Paris revolves around her and doesn't realize that not every can be as rich and spoiled as her. I don't care how many pastries she buys here. She can buy them someplace else."

"Trust me, I understand. And now she totes around that girl named Sabrina as if she were a purse. The poor girl has to do all of Chloe's bidding, but I think she might enjoy it. She might be the first friend Chloe's had in a long time if you can even call that friendship."

"That's something I'll never comprehend. Who could be friends with a witch like her? She finds pleasure in being mean and spares no one."

With a laugh, Alya finished off another cookie and asked, "Are you still upset about the time she tripped you? Isn't that old news?"

"Alya, it happened last week," Marinette frowned. "And she didn't just trip me. I was trying to strike a deal with a vendor for a cheaper price on fabric when she walked by and completely kicked my leg out from underneath me! I fell into a puddle and ruined the fabric! I had to pay full price for it and now it's completely unusable. I'm not mad that she tripped me. I'm mad that she ruined a perfectly good piece of fabric!"

Alya tried hard to stifle her giggles. She pushed another cookie in her mouth and covered her mouth with her hand. Her cheeks puffed up as Marinette gave her a wary glance. Letting out an irritated sigh, Marinette asked, "I can see you aren't very sympathetic today. What's so funny?"

After swallowing, Alya laughed out loud, unable to contain it any longer. It was a hearty laugh, the kind that forces other people to smile because it was so infectious. Alya adjusted her glasses and put her hand on Marinette's shoulder.

"It's really nothing," she grinned, her cheeks red from laughing. "It's just so stereotypical you. Only Marinette would get upset over fabric! And I was replaying the scene in my head and it's still absolutely hilarious. You went headfirst into that puddle and the look on your face was priceless!"

"Oh yeah... I forgot you were there too. I'm so glad you rose to defend me," Marinette added sarcastically.

"You know I normally would, but it was too funny to pass up. Sorry! I'll make it up to you next time we see Chloe," Alya promised. "I'll give her a taste of her own medicine!" Alya held up a tight fist and thrust it into the air.

"Settle down there!" Marinette cried as she grabbed Alya's arm and pulled it back down. "No need to get violent! I don't want to get back at her. That wouldn't be right. I just wish Chloe would learn the consequences of her actions and also that money doesn't grow on trees. I had to spend every last franc in my purse to pay for the fabric."

Alya pulled Marinette over and rubbed her hand on her head, messing up Marinette's hair. "You're adorable, Marinette? You know that? I don't think I've ever met a girl so sweet. Honey seems sour compared to you!" Alya let go of Marinette and took another bite of her cookie. Between nibbles, she added, "Whoever gets to marry you is a lucky guy!"

"Alya!"

"What? We're sixteen now. You have to have at least started looking. I'm not saying you have to get married, but what about a boyfriend? There must be some handsome young man that's captured your eye. And don't try to play innocent with me! You're one of the most popular girls in town!I know there are all kinds of boys that come in here just to see your face. Surely one of them will do. Unlike you, my options are limited. You should take what you can get."

"Stop joking around, Alya. I know you have Nino so don't talk like that. You can try and hide it all you want, but I know you love him!"

Alya blushed and pushed her glasses high up her nose. "T-That's beside the point!" she stammered as she fiddled with her dress. "Don't try and change the subject, missy! 'Fess up! There has to be someone that's piqued your interest."

" _Well, there is someone..."_ Marinette thought for a moment. " _But it's a love that can't come true. If I told Alya, she'd only feel bad for me. It's best I keep it to myself. Even thinking about it too much starts to make me cry. I should've tried to forget about him a long time ago."_

"If you're that embarrassed by it, you don't have to tell me. But I'm your best friend and we have to share these things with each other eventually. It's best friend law. I know it's your first crush, so it's bound to be super awkward, but you're already super awkward." Alya got a harsh glare from Marinette after that one. She held up her hands, signaling it was a mere joke, and continued on.

"Your first love is something you should celebrate, not hide! I want all the details when you're ready!"

Marinette still looked unconvinced. She lowered her head, letting her bangs hang in front of her face. She was completely embarrassed now, almost ashamed. She didn't like keeping secrets from Alya. They had best friends ever since she moved to Paris. They clicked instantly and rarely spent any time apart. They told each other everything which was how Marinette discovered Alya had a huge crush on Nino, the boy musician that lived a few doors down from the bakery. Marinette had figured it out before poor Alya did. After that, Alya openly discussed her love life with Marinette and maybe it was time to repay the favor.

"I guess it's fine..." Marinette said hesitantly.

Alya leaned forward, giving Marinette a hopeful smile. "Relax!" she grinned, beaming with confidence. "I won't judge. I just want to know the name of the guy that won your heart though he better watch out because he might become a target of the other boys. Jealousy is a dangerous game."

Marinette gave Alya a sad smile and sighed. "That won't be a problem because he's-"

Suddenly, a huge crowd of people brushed past the bakery windows, casting a dark shadow. "What's going on?" Alya asked. She stood up and wandered over to the windows. She pressed her face and hands against the glass and tried to peer through the crowd. "There's some big commotion out there! Let's go check it out!"

Leave it to Alya to jump right into the chaos. Alya dreamed of being a reporter which was an emerging job now that newspapers were becoming commonplace. She had a knack for gossip but always did her research. She had the type of drive and fearlessness one would expect from a journalist. Too bad that frequently got her into trouble and Marinette usually got dragged into it.

Alya opened the door and plunged into the crowd, not even waiting for Marinette to catch up. "Alya!" Marinette shouted as she raced out after her friend. She left the bakery, made sure the door was still locked, and then attempted to find her friend amongst the hundreds of people in the streets.

" _What are all these people doing out here?"_ Marinette wondered as she pushed past rough arms and bony elbows. " _I can hardly take one step without knocking into someone._ " There was something about the sudden crowd that confused Marinette. Normally having this many people in one area would be loud and chaotic, but everyone was strangely silent aside from a few whispers.

" _What's going on and where the heck is Alya? I swear when I catch her, I'm really going to go off on her this time! She can't just run out into a crowd like this. What if she got hurt? What would I tell her family? What would I tell Nino?"_

Marinette spotted Alya standing within the crowd, her bright red dress setting her apart from the others who were mostly dressed in somber greys and blacks. The girl was staring towards the streets, her eyes completely glazed over. There was a look of shock and sadness on her face. Her bright smile from only seconds before had vanished.

"What's wrong?" Marinette asked, grabbing her friend's shoulder in concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What are you staring at?" Then Marinette saw what Alya and the rest of the crowd were seeing.

In the center of the cobble street was a carriage being pulled by two white horses. From within the carriage, Marinette saw an older man with a stern expression. He was staring straight ahead with a look of mourning. Marinette recognized him immediately. He was the king, the ruler of all of Paris.

Her heart sank as she looked beyond the carriage. Attached to its back was a large wagon dressed in purple velvet and dozens of white roses. Within the wagon was a finely carved marble statue. The statue was of a young man who had a smile grander than the sun. The sculptor had done a fine job. It was so incredibly lifelike that Marinette stopped to wonder if it was real or not. She could see each strand of hair and every tensed muscle. Most importantly, she recognized that face just as the rest of Paris did.

It was a statue of Prince Adrien who was once known throughout the kingdom for his benevolence. Though he rarely left the palace due to his royal duties, everyone knew his face and heard of his kind actions. He fed the homeless, read books to little children, helped protect the rights of citizens in addition to so much more. He was a hero to the people. He was a shining light for the future. And unfortunately, he had been taken away from them far too soon.

" _Has it been that long already?"_ Marinette wondered. Tears were beginning to form and she quickly wiped them away to no avail. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, letting it absorb her tears and her pain. Like everyone else, Marinette missed the prince, but her connection to him was stronger than most. He had brightened her world. He had been her everything. He taught her what it felt like to fall in love. Then just as quickly as he entered her life, he had vanished.

 **It had been exactly one year ago. It was a Friday which seemed insignificant, but everyone remembered. It was a rainy day like it had been for the past week. Dark clouds rolled through the skies already putting the city in a bad mood. Businesses were closed in preparation for the upcoming holiday which would be a city-wide celebration. Everyone was resting in their homes, enjoying the comfort and warmth of their families when the news arrived.**

 **The official announcement was made that night underneath the cloudy covered stars. King Gabriel stood in the gateway of the palace. The flickering light of lanterns illuminated his face, giving him an unearthly glow. He was dressed in black and some said with his silver hair and dark glare, he looked like the grim reaper himself. He looked upon the vast crowd that had begun to form and cleared his throat. The audience went silent and looked up at their king with curious eyes.**

" **It is with great sadness," he began, his voice powerful, but clearly wavering. "That I relay this news to you, the loyal people of Paris. It is with a heavy heart filled with grief that I tell you today we lost my son to the other world. His passing was unexpected and far too sudden. He deserved more time than he had. To Paris, he was an amiable prince whose kindness knew no bounds. To me, he was a son that was everything I could have hoped for and more."**

 **There was a sudden crack of thunder and the sky opened up into a barrage of raindrops. They attacked the king and everyone watching, stinging at their skin. But nobody moved. The rain coated the king's glasses with fine droplets, but he made no effort to wash them away. Instead, he pushed on.**

" **He touched the hearts of all of us. When he heard a cry in need, he could never turn away. That was the type of person he was and always has been. Even as a young child, I remember watching him pick flowers from the palace garden and handing them out to people on the streets as an act of goodwill. He was naive, I'll admit, but he could make anyone smile."**

" **When I lost my wife all those years ago, I wondered how I could move on. I could not abandon my kingdom while I wallowed in my own sorrows, but it was still hard for me to get back on my feet. Without my son, I might never have. Whenever I was upset, he smiled back at me and told me everything would be okay because we were together. It is because of him that I still stand before you here today."**

" **The expectations on my son were great. There were times when I was harsh and perhaps too strict. In my efforts to keep him safe, I neglected how he felt and focused solely on myself. The burden of my decisions will weigh on me for eternity since I will never again have the chance to tell my son I'm sorry."**

" **My son was, is, and would have been a great man. Let all of Paris remember his name. Let him not be forgotten with the passage of time. He will live on in our hearts as he watches us from another place. Be at peace, my son, my beloved Adrien."**

 **The king's speech was brief but powerful. Word spread like wildfire that Prince Adrien had mysteriously died. There was no explanation for his untimely death. All people heard was that it was sudden or unexpected. The prince had never been the sickly type, so no one thought his life had been claimed by a dreaded disease. People assumed a terrible accident must have occurred instead. Something so tragic that the king could not bear to bring himself to speak of it.**

 **Later that evening, every citizen in Paris lit a candle and set it outside their home in honor of the fallen prince. The air was filled with the scent of smoke and sadness as the king walked through the streets followed closely by the army in mourning of his son. That was the second time in his life that the king had ever shed tears. The first was the passing of his wife and now for the death of his son. He walked through the streets in silence until he returned home to his lonely, empty castle.**

 **And that night, despite the thousands of burning candles in memoriam, the city of Paris had lost its light.**

 **A service was held the next day in the palace gardens. The king's closest advisors and the most prominent Parisians attended while the rest of Paris's citizens waited outside the castle, straining to hear. A black casket sat in the center of bouquets of white roses. Behind it sat a portrait of the prince that had been painted only a month prior to his death. He was smiling, an everlasting memory of his good nature. Everyone knew he wouldn't want them to be sad because of his passing, but it was impossible to feel otherwise.**

 **People took turns saying kind words. The king gave another speech but had to sit down halfway through due to his tears. Once the ceremony ended, people took turns walking up to the casket to say their good-byes. Many of them didn't know the prince personally, but they knew of his influence. They felt an attachment to him despite never meeting.**

 **It was rumored that Chloe Bourgeois, the daughter of the wealthy politician, Andre Bourgeois, had to be dragged away from the casket by her father. Unlike many others, she was childhood friends with the prince. To most she was intolerable, but he always treated her with kindness and offered her a smile. Both had lost their mothers at a young age and it allowed them to connect though they had contrasting personalities. She lost the only friend she had. Since the moment she learned he was gone, the tears never stopped flowing.**

 **Once the upper class had paid their respects, the common folk quickly followed. People were lined up around the palace as far as the eye could see. Marinette stood in that line for hours until she finally laid her eyes upon the black casket.**

 **It was raining once again when she arrived, but she hardly noticed. She pressed her hand against the wet wood and thought,** " _ **Is he really in there?"**_ **She imagined him lying down, cold and lifeless like a doll. Her tears mixed in with the rain. She set her head against the casket and whispered, "I'll miss you." She placed the umbrella in her hands by the casket's side. "I thought I should return to this to you, but I never had the chance."**

 **With that, she walked away, her head held high. What people saw was a strong girl, but on the inside, her heart had completely shattered into pieces.**

"Marinette! Marinette? Are you okay?"

Marinette felt a forceful tugging on her sleeve. She looked over to see Alya fawning over her with worry. "I-I'm fine," Marinette murmured, her lip quivering. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to notice how hard she was crying. Her eyes were red and puffy and there were stains down her face from where the tears had run.

Alya wrapped her arms around her friend, locking her in a tight embrace. "Don't cry," Alya whispered. She patted Marinette's head and rubbed her back gently. "Don't cry... I know it hurts. He was a great prince. I miss him too. It's okay to cry. Everyone feels your pain."

"But they don't!" Marinette shouted loudly. Alya pulled away from the hug in surprise. Her friend was heaving now. Her chest was violently heaving up and down in heavy sobs. "They don't know!" she cried again. " _They don't know! They don't know, but I do! Has it really been a year? How could I forget?"_

Marinette had fallen to the ground and was on her knees. She didn't care if her dress got muddy or if the hole got bigger. She just wanted to sit there and cry.

As the king's carriage moved past, the crowd of people began to disperse and left behind only Alya and Marinette on the side of the street. Alya kneeled down beside her friend, trying to understand what was wrong. "Marinette, you need to stand up," she said softly, trying to pull Marinette to her feet. "Let's get you back to the bakery. You need a break. We can talk there."

Marinette slung her arm over Alya's shoulder and the two slowly made it back into the bakery. Alya sat Marinette down into a chair and brought her some tea to help calm her down. The pigtailed girl shook as she tried to sip the tea, nearly dropping it each time. As Marinette's breathing began to calm down, Alya attempted to discover what was wrong.

"What's going on?" Alya asked. "This is one time I need to know the truth." Her gaze was serious. Alya had never seen her friend fall apart like that. Marinette was usually all smiles, not tears. Something was very wrong.

"I-"

Marinette's words stopped there. They wouldn't come out. Her lips couldn't form the right sounds. Everything still seemed so surreal. All the pain and suffering felt like it should be impossible. The cause of the grief felt intangible. In her mind, she could still hear his words. She could still see his face. She could still reach out and touch him. Had it really been a year since he was gone?

" _Marinette? What a fitting name for a beautiful, young lady..."_

He said that to her when they first properly met. She could remember it as clear as day. Every detail down to the color of the umbrella, the scent of the air, the sound of her breathing, and his smirk when he said her name. In that instant, she believed it was the start of something new. What she discovered was the end of something else.

Alya bit the inside of her cheek and crossed her legs. She would wait for Marinette. A good friend would.

After a few more minutes of silence, Marinette took a deep breath. "I think I'm better now," she said slowly. She gave Alya a weak smile just to prove it. "I just didn't realize today was the one-year anniversary. It all came over me so quick that it was hard for me to handle. I remembered his face and then everything came rushing back. I'm sorry for causing a scene."

"You didn't cause a scene. It's good to get it all out every once and awhile, so please don't criticize yourself."

"Thanks. I should probably tell you the full story. It's the least I could do."

"Take your time," Alya replied. "Don't push yourself too hard. I'm here all day. I'll sit here for the rest of the week if you need me to. I'll even skip my date with Nino tomorrow."

"So you two are dating?" giggled Marinette. A bit of color returned to her face which relieved Alya. Marinette was already back to smiling again.

"We're not dating yet," Alya protested with grin. "We're just testing things out. He has to pass a lot of trials if he wants to be the man of my dreams."

"Cut him some slack. He already tries so hard. Didn't he write you a song?"

"Yes and he played it for me in front of the entire town square. Talk about embarrassing. How could I fall for a loser like that? I'm sure the guy you like is much lot cooler than Nino. Granted, everyone is cooler than Nino, but that's beside the point."

Alya noticed Marinette's expression darken and she was struck by a grave realization. "Marinette..." she breathed, her voice going hoarse. "Marinette, it couldn't be that you were in love with-"

"The prince?" Marinette shrugged her shoulders. Her eyes turned vacant as she stared into the distance. "It seems absurd, doesn't it? We only talked once, but that was enough. I knew a prince like him would never like a baker's daughter like me. He was better suited to someone like Chloe, but I kept dreaming. I'm still dreaming. Even though he's gone, I still feel like he's here and that's why I can't let go."

"I never knew. Mari... I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. If anything, it's mine for falling in love. It's my responsibility to move on, but I can't yet. There's a part of me that hopes that one day I'll see him walking through the streets again and I can see his smile. If I'm lucky, he might even remember my name."

"..."

Marinette suddenly stood up, nearly knocking over her tea. "Listen to me ramble on like this," she scorned herself. "It doesn't do any good to mope around. Wow! Look at the time! The bakery has been closed for nearly forty-five minutes now. If my parents find out, I'll be in big trouble! I need to open back up and you should head home. You probably need to look after your siblings, right?"

She grabbed Alya's hand and pulled her up. Then she grabbed a bag and filled it with the remaining leftover pastries. "Take these!" Marinette decided as she shoved the bag into Alya's arms. "Your family will love them. There are even some extra cream puffs from this morning, but don't tell my parents I put those in there!"

"Are you sure you're okay now?" Alya asked warily. She had been friends with Marinette long enough to spot a truth from a lie. No matter what Marinette said, everything was not okay. Still, if Marinette needed space, Alya would respect that.

Marinette quickly nodded her head. "Pssh... I'm fine. I won't let a few tears get me down. I'm tougher than that." She flexed her arm and gave Alya a wink.

"Okay girl," Alya laughed. "Whatever you say. But if you need anything, you know I'm always right around the corner. I'm here for you."

"Thanks. I really appreciate it."

After exchanging a few more good-byes, Alya left the bakery, a bag stuffed to the brim with pastries in hand. Marinette watched her until she was out of sight and then breathed a sigh of relief. She headed towards the back room, not bothering to switch the "closed" sign to "open". She had no intention of reopening the shop. She would gladly take her parents' punishment later.

" _I feel bad sending Alya away like that,"_ Marinette thought as she trudged up to her bedroom. " _She's genuinely worried about me, but I don't know how much she can help. It's my own problem and I really need to get over it. What's the point of holding onto a crush on someone who's dead, not to mention a prince?_ "

Marinette grabbed a spool of thread and a needle. She sat down on her bed and began to stitch the hole shut. The dress was probably ruined after kneeling in the dirt, but Marinette decided to fix it anyways. Sewing always helped ease her mind. In the future, she wanted to be a famous tailor or designer. She had the skill, but it was a difficult field to enter.

" _I really need to find something else to take my mind off the prince. Maybe Alya was right. There are plenty of nice boys that stop by and talk to me. Nathanael is especially nice. I might try talking to him the next time he visits. I just need a change of pace... something different."_

Marinette looked down at the mended hole and gave it a nod of approval. " _Not bad... You can hardly tell I ripped it. Maybe if I wash it well I can still keep this dress. I like it and it would be a waste to get rid of it."_

She stood up and walked over to the mirror. Her appearance was a mess as expected. Her hair had fallen out of place and her face was bright red. There were dirt stains not only on her dress but arms and legs as well. Marinette felt gross from crying and made a note to take a bath right away. Some warm water might help soothe her.

 _CLANG!_

" _What was that?"_ Marinette thought in alarm. The noise sounded like it came from the bakery, but no one should have been in there. Alya had locked the door.

 _BUMP!_

" _There it is again! Is someone down there? What should I do?"_ Marinette picked up the bottom of her dress and stealthily walked down the stairs. She snuck through the hallway towards the front of the bakery. She pressed her back against the wall of the backroom, keeping her breath low.

" _What am I going to do if it's an intruder? I don't have anything to fight him off. There are some pots and pans here, but I don't know how effective they'll be. Should I go back upstairs and hide until Papa and Maman come home?"_

 _THUD!_

" _It sounds like they're ruining the place, though. I have to do something! I can't let them destroy the bakery like this!"_ Marinette eyed a nearby pan and quickly snatched it. Gripping the handle tightly, she gave it a test swing. If she could get enough power behind it, the pan might be able to do some damage.

" _You can do this, Marinette! Be brave!"_

Marinette took a few soothing deep breaths to remain calm. Then she jumped out from behind the wall, frying pan ready to fly. In fighting stance, she looked at the display and saw a tiny, bug-like creature sitting on top of the plate of cookies. It was happily eating its way through the pile without a care in the world.

" _It was a bug?"_ Marinette thought in relief. " _Thank goodness. How could a bug make that much noise, though? And why is it so big? This might be a bigger problem than I thought..."_

Marinette moved cautiously toward the bug. She planned to chase it out, but the frying pan could quickly turn into a bug squisher if need be. The creature watched Marinette move closer with big, blue eyes. It didn't stop nibbling on the cookies.

"Careful..." Marinette whispered, sneaking closer. "Easy now..."

Suddenly the bug dropped the cookie and gasped. A huge smile emerged on its face as it exclaimed in a high voice, "It's you!"

Marinette let out the loudest scream she had ever heard before.


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette lunged at the creature, swinging the frying pan violently. "It's a talking bug!" she screamed. "Get out! Get out!"

She tried to squish it with the pan, but the insect quickly flew to the side and dodged the attack. It pouted and put its hands on its hips. "That's not very nice! You could have hit me!"

" _I have to be going mad,"_ Marinette thought as she watched the bug fly back towards its snack. " _There's a giant bug and it's talking to me? Did I hit my head on something? Maybe all that crying messed up my brain. It might be best to go lay down... Oh, but I can't leave this mess down here. I don't know when Maman and Papa will be home. Real or not, I have to deal with this pest."_

"You look funny," the bug observed, suddenly flying close to Marinette's face. "Your face has gone completely white. Are you feeling okay?" Marinette jumped back with a scream and swatted her hands, the pan clattering on the ground. Marinette hit the bug, knocking it across the room and against the wall. It hit with a sickening sound and slid down on to the floor.

" _Is it dead yet?"_ Marinette wondered. She grabbed a towel from the counter and tiptoed toward the corpse, prepared to dispose of it.

The bug's body shifted, causing Marinette to flinch. It proceeded to sit up and open its eyes to Marinette's dismay. It let out an exasperated sigh and shook out its wings. After deciding that the damage was minimal, it flew back up in front of Marinette's face and pointed at her angrily.

"That hurt! I could have bent a wing! You hit surprisingly hard, but I guess I should have expected that. You are the next Ladybug after all!"

"Ladybug?"

"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I see that I scared you. My name's Tikki and I'm a kwami. It's a pleasure to meet you, Marinette. I've been waiting to meet you for a long time. It's been over a hundred years since the last Ladybug and being alone for that long gets dreadfully boring."

"H-how do you know my name?" Marinette asked, her voice wavering. She had gone from confused to downright terrified. She was talking to a bug and it knew her name. Her name! " _This has to be a dream, but this is one of the craziest dreams I've ever had. And I thought the dream about a thousand Chloes was weird..."_

"Of course I know your name!" Tikki's beamed. "I'm Ladybug's personal kwami, so it's only natural I'd know everything about her. I know your favorite animal is a hamster, you really love sewing, and you have a crush on-"

"That's enough!" Marinette cried, cutting the kwami off. "I believe you!" She was disturbed by how much the creature knew. And while Tikki thought she was providing answers, she was creating even more questions for Marinette like this mysterious person Tikki kept mentioning.

" _Ladybug?"_ Marinette thought. " _Who's that? Could she be the owner of this... thing? What a weird name though. Why would you name yourself after a creepy bug? I would definitely remember that name if I had heard it before, but it doesn't ring any bells."_

"Excuse me..." Marinette politely cleared her throat and gave Tikki a hesitant smile. "I'm still not quite sure what you're talking about, but I'm still trying to figure out how there's a talking bug in my house. Exactly who is this 'Ladybug'? Is she looking for you?"

"I must not have made myself clear. You're the new Ladybug, Marinette!"

"What? Me?"

"Yep," Tikki nodded. "Ladybug is a powerful hero that protects people with her magic powers. She is chosen based off her kindness, bravery, and wisdom. You're the perfect fit! We've only just met and I can tell you're going to be a great Ladybug!"

"You must have me confused with somebody else." Marinette shook her head. "I don't have magic powers. That's impossible!" She took another look at Tikki and thought, " _Well I am speaking with a talking bug so maybe magic powers aren't completely out of the question. But this sounds like something out of one of my old storybooks. Magic, heroes, talking animals! It can't be real."_

"You don't have magic powers yet! That's where I come in. I'm a kwami or a magical spirit. By channeling my magic into a special object, you can use my powers to protect people and fight evil! See! Watch this!"

Tikki clapped her hands together and a small box appeared out of thin air. "Hold out your hands," Tikki smiled. Marinette held out her hands, the box dropping into them. She gave Tikki a nervous look, but Tikki kept smiling. "Go on," the creature chided. "Open it. It's a present for you."

Marinette opened the box, revealing a pair of jet black earrings. They took her breath away. She had never seen a piece of jewelry quite so stunning. "Put them in," Tikki said as she took one of the earrings out of the box. "I want to see how they look on you." Marinette wanted to decline, but the cheerful look on the kwami's face forced her hand otherwise. She carefully took the earring from Tikki's hand and pushed it into the ear, followed by its pair.

"There," Marinette sighed. "Is that good?" Marinette secretly wanted to see how they looked too. She wasn't used to wearing such expensive jewelry. She barely had enough money to afford fabric let alone accessories. Being able to wear the earrings even for a brief moment made her feel like a princess. There was something odd about them that made her feel more confident and beautiful.

"They look wonderful!" Tikki grinned. "Those earrings are the special object I was talking about! With them on, I can lend you my magic. That's what allows you to transform into Ladybug!"

"Umm... I'm not sure I follow."

"I'll just have to show you then. It'll be good to go out and get some practice anyways. I have a feeling that we don't have much time to spare. You ready?"

Marinette slowly nodded, deciding to trust Tikki. "Sure... though I have no idea what for."

"All you have to do is say 'spots on'!"

"Spots on?"

All of sudden, there was a whirlwind of pink light. Marinette gasped as it wrapped around her. She watched in awe as her worn, pink dress transformed into a tight, stretchy material that covered her entire body. It was red and black spotted, just like a ladybug. There was a strange coolness on her face and when Marinette touched it, she noticed something there like a mask. It disguised all her distinguishing features.

" _What's happening?"_ she screamed internally. " _My clothes changed and why am I wearing this weird mask? What's with this yo-yo strapped to my side? What happened to Tikki? This is too much for me to handle."_

" _Calm down,"_ a familiar voice whispered inside Marinette's head. She looked around the room, but saw nobody. "Tikki?" she asked aloud. "Where are you? Stop joking around and come out. This is scaring me. What did you do?"

" _I'm inside the earrings, Marinette. You're using your Ladybug powers right now. That's why your appearance has changed. Dressed like this, you can move freely while you're fighting! The mask is protect your identity. People these days aren't too fond of magicians. Even if one saves their life, people can get violent. I don't want you getting hurt because of that. I don't want the bad guys to catch you either!"_

"Hold on! Can we back up for a moment? Bad guys? Fighting? Who am I fighting? I don't want to fight anyone."

" _I'm not sure who we're fighting quite yet, but I sensed a great evil was coming. That's why I came out and found you. Marinette, you've been chosen to protect Paris. I know it's a lot to take in, but this is your destiny. You must rise to the occasion. Ladybug can be no one else but you. I made sure I picked the right person and I'm confident in my decision. I believe in you!"_

Marinette's heart stopped. " _She's wants me to become a hero and protect Paris! I'm only a simple baker's daughter. I don't have any experience in fighting or magic. I want to tell her that I'm not the right person for the job, but there's a part of me that's curious. All my life I've lived in this bakery and not thought about what's going on outside especially since Adrien passed away. Maybe this could be the chance to move on that I've been waiting for..."_

" _She makes it sound like Paris is in big trouble too. I can't abandon my city like this. What if my friends and family get hurt? Then it would all be my fault because I didn't act. I'm scared, but I'll be brave for the sake of everyone else. I can do this!"_

"Okay Tikki... I think I'm starting to understand. I don't know if I can live up to your expectations, but I'll do my best!"

Marinette's heard a giggle inside her head which sounded more like ringing bells. " _I'm glad you're on board,"_ Tikki cheered. " _Sometimes new Ladybugs take a lot more convincing. For now, we should go out and have some fun! It's important to learn how to use your new powers before something bad happens. Is there a way we can sneak out of here without being seen?"_

"There's a balcony in my bedroom that leads up to the roof."

" _That's perfect!"_

" _Perfect?"_ Marinette wondered as she walked up to her bedroom. She pushed open the doors to her balcony and was greeted by the bright sun. It stung her eyes. Marinette closed the balcony doors and then hoisted herself up to the roof. Her feet leaned over the edge of the shingles. The bakery certainly wasn't the tallest building in Paris, but it was tall enough to make her feel nauseous. The ground was a long way away and it was dangerous this high up. What if she fell?

" _Great! Now grab your yo-yo off your belt! Consider it your magical item. It can do a lot, but for now we'll use it to get around. All you have to do is throw it towards where you want to go and I'm sure you can figure out what to do from there."_

Marinette grabbed the yo-yo and tugged on the string. " _It looks like a normal yo-yo. What could it possibly do?"_ She saw the chimney of a nearby building. " _Just throw it where I want to go, huh?"_ Marinette chucked the yo-yo at the chimney and watched it wrap around. She pulled the wire tight and bit her lip. " _What now? Does she expect me to jump?"_

She lifted one foot up and suddenly the yo-yo yanked her towards the chimney. Marinette screamed as she flew swiftly through the air. The yo-yo dragged her along at its own pace until she felt her feet land firmly on the roof where the chimney was. With a sigh of relief at being on solid ground again, Marinette pulled on the yo-yo string and it unwound, returning to normal.

" _Wasn't that fun?"_ Tikki asked from inside Marinette's head.

"Fun is not the word," Marinette heaved, still trying to catch her breath. "That was terrifying. What if the string broke and I fell?"

" _It's a magic yo-yo. That won't happen. Just play around with it a little bit more. You'll get the hang of it."_

Marinette examined the yo-yo again. It didn't look magical, but like before, she would trust Tikki. She spotted a tall building about a kilometer away. By her calculations, if she used her yo-yo to jump from building to building, she could probably make it there in a matter of seconds. Normally a trip like that would take a few minutes. Marinette shrugged her shoulders and thought, " _Here goes nothing!"_

She let the yo-yo loose and off she went again. The wind whipped at her face, but the cool breeze felt good against her skin. An odd sense of freedom overcame Marinette. She felt unstoppable. Almost instinctively, she threw the yo-yo to the next building, followed by the next. Once she let her nerves fade away, everything felt so natural.

" _You're doing great!"_ Tikki complimented her. " _I can't say that being Ladybug is all fun and games, but this is a definite perk!"_

"Tikki, this is amazing! I feel like I'm flying! I'm sorry for being such a scaredy cat before!"

" _It's okay. Everyone is scared to try new things and being a hero is definitely one of those things. It's nice to see a smile on your face. It suits you much better than tears."_

"Did you see all that?"

Tikki went silent which Marinette took to mean yes. The girl wasn't exactly embarrassed, but she wasn't proud either. Those were her true feelings. Thinking about the past upset her. It was hard to handle, but it was time to move on. It seemed like Tikki was a gift from the heavens that intended to make Marinette do just that. Marinette didn't pretend to understand, but she felt grateful.

" _I wonder what Prince Adrien would think if he saw me now,"_ Marinette giggled, trying to imagine his dumbfounded expression. He would probably be shocked and first, but then get really excited. For as mature as he acted, he had a childish side or at least that's what Marinette imagined. She had only spoken to him for a few minutes. He might have said, "That's amazing! You're so cool! Do you think you could take me for a swing around Paris?"

Might have.

Those words stung Marinette's heart. Her jubilance died down into heartache as she tried to push bad memories out of her head. " _What's wrong?"_ Tikki worried. " _You're so sad all of a sudden. Do you want to talk about it?"_

"It's nothing..." Marinette replied in a hushed tone. "I was just thinking about someone I used to know." Tikki wanted to push further, but stayed silence. She knew Marinette would talk when she was ready. It was too early to pry considering they had only met just earlier. Tikki didn't want to upset her new friend.

" _We should head back home,"_ Tikki said, trying to change the subject. " _The sun's going down and your parents might be back soon. By the way, you should keep me and being Ladybug a secret from them. It keeps both of us safe."_

"Got it. I wasn't planning on telling them anyways. I don't know how they'd react. My parents are really sweet, but they can be a little overprotective..."

" _That's just a sign that they love you. On another note, do you have more cookies back at the bakery?"_

"Plenty. Is that what you like to eat?"

" _Cookies are my favorite! When I'm tired, they help me regain my strength. If you use your Ladybug powers too much, I run out of magic and need to recharge by eating. It might be a good idea to have cookies on hand whenever we leave the bakery just in case. You never know what might happen."_

"Are you sure you didn't pick me to be Ladybug because I live in a bakery?" Marinette laughed. She threw the yo-yo in the direction of home and let it take her away. She was quickly starting to get used to this Ladybug thing.

Marinette landed safely back on her own roof and hooked her yo-yo back on her hip. "Now what?" she asked. She had no idea how to return to normal.

" _Say 'spots off'!"_

"Spots off?"

Just like before, there was a swirl of pink light and Marinette's suit transformed back into her dress. The mask disappeared along with the yo-yo. Marinette was back to being normal Marinette. Tikki came flying out of the earrings and landed gently in Marinette's palms.

"You did it!" the kwami smiled, doing a tiny cheer. "See? Being Ladybug isn't that bad, but I still have a few more things to tell you. When you use my magic, your earrings turn red with five black spots. As long as you don't use Ladybug's special powers, you can remain in that form for as long as you'd like."

"Special powers?" Marinette thought just being able to transform and use a magic yo-yo was special enough. There was even more?

Tikki nodded and said, "Ladybug has a few magic spells that allow you to defeat evil. The most important is your Lucky Charm! It allows you to summon a magic object that can help defeat the person you're fighting. It comes in handy often, so make sure you know how to use it. But once you use this spell, you only have five minutes before you transform back into normal Marinette. One dot equals one minute. Your earrings will beep as a countdown so you know how much time you have left."

"Why do I turn back into normal me?"

"That particular spell uses a lot of my energy. Once you use it, it becomes difficult to maintain your Ladybug form."

"I see. So what's another one of those magic spells?"

"You don't need to worry about them yet," Tikki replied. "I'll teach them to you when the time comes. For now, let's head back into the bakery. I'm starving!"

"Starving?" Marinette raised an eyebrow as she slipped Tikki into her dress pocket. "I recall watching you stuff your face with all kinds of cookies earlier. By the way, I still have to clean up that mess you made. There were crumbs everywhere!"

"Sorry!" Tikki squeaked. "I tried to reach for one of the cookies and accidentally knocked over the entire tray. I can help you clean up! I'm really sorry!" The poor creature looked like she was about to cry. Her face was red with embarrassment causing Marinette to laugh.

"It's not a big deal," Marinette told her, patting Tikki's head with her finger. "It'll only take a few minutes to clean up. Besides, I'm glad you enjoyed them. People say my parents make the best cookies in Paris!"

"I think I can agree with that!"

The two burst into laughter again. Marinette smiled, happy to have made a new friend and excited to explore this strange magic that had gifted to her. Tikki watched her partner beam and felt relieved. It had been so long since she last had a friend. While she waited for a new Ladybug to appear, she spent most of her days alone with only the occasional visit from other kwami. Her own heart hurt as she recalled recent memories.

Like Marinette, she had someone special she held dear. He was a kwami like her, but the opposite in terms of personality. He was crude and had no manners. He liked stinky cheese and made bad jokes. Out of all the other kwami, he was definitely the most annoying, but Tikki cared about him the most. They used to visit each other often while they waited to find their next masters.

Then one day last year, he simply stopped coming. He vanished with no explanation to where he had gone. Tikki's lonely days began again, but this time they were filled with worry. She waited and prayed for his return. Kwamis didn't die easily, but Tikki couldn't help but think something bad happened to him.

At the peak of her sadness, Tikki was struck with a strange feeling. It was a sign that it was time for the new Ladybug to appear. Delighted to finally escape her solitude, Tikki set out to find her Ladybug. However the thought of her missing friend weighed deeply in the back of her mind. She hoped that this new Ladybug might be able to provide some answers and help her find her other half.

"Let's head inside then!" Marinette grinned. "We have cleaning to do and I have to figure out where you'll be sleeping from now on." Tikki looked excited at the prospect of a place to call her own.

As they went back inside, Marinette had a few lingering thoughts about her kwami friend and her purpose. Tikki kept describing a type of "evil" that Ladybug was expected to fight. Marinette didn't exactly understand what that entailed. Tikki's words were incredibly vague. Marinette couldn't even imagine what this evil could be. Paris had been a period of peace for over fifty years. There had been no wars, little poverty, and was a site of major technological innovation. It was one of the few cities to have a working trolley system which was a source of citywide pride.

It seemed impossible that Paris's peace would vanish so easily. Marinette assumed Tikki might have been over exaggerating, but she still felt nervous. According to Tikki, Ladybug held extraordinary powers. It could only be assumed that this evil might match her in skill and magic. " _I shouldn't worry too much,"_ Marinette reassured herself. " _Everything will be just fine..."_

* * *

From the distance in a nearby alley way clouded in shadows, a black cat watched them with glowing, emerald eyes. He had been scavenging for scraps when he spotted a strange red blur out of the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw a beautiful woman racing across the rooftops. Her presence went unnoticed by everyone but him. Perhaps it was attributed to his finely honed animal instincts.

A jolt of electricity ran through his body, signaling him to follow her. He chased her from the streets as she vaulted across the sky. Her speed was incredible and even on four legs, it was difficult for him to keep up. Finally she stopped on the roof of a popular bakery he recognized. They threw out wonderful scraps, so he often frequented the place for meals. The cat approached the bakery and saw a trail of ivy leading up the side of the wall. He carefully climbed up, a skill he was proud to have developed.

On top of the roof was a large chimney that he stealthily hid behind. His black coat kept him safe in the shadows. It would be hard to spot him aside from his bright eyes. He watched the girl shout "spots off" and there was a sudden rush of powerful magic. The girl's outfit became a pink dress that the cat thought suited her quite well. A strange creature emerged from nowhere and landed in the girl's hands.

Both laughing, the girl and the creature went into the bakery, leaving the cat on the roof. He was astounded with what he had seen. Magic was hard to come by these days, but he recognized it when he saw it. This girl knew magic. There was no doubt in his mind. But her magic wasn't what intrigued him. It was the red and black spots she had been wearing. Her image tugged at the back of his mind, at the one thing he remembered.

 _Ladybug._

It was the only thing he remembered from the day he considered his life to begin. After rushing away from the scene of danger, the cat found himself repeating that word over and over. He didn't know its meaning. For all he knew, it could have been meaningless. It could have just been the name of a bug. But it was all he had, so he made sure never to forget it.

From that day on, he lived on the streets as a normal alley cat. He stole food wherever he could. Sometimes he even resorted to mice if he was starving. He slept in hidden alleys and made friends with the other strays. He quickly adapted to the rugged lifestyle and accepted it as his fate. It was a harsh and unforgiving life. No one offered to help and each day was a struggle to survive. It was a life typical of any stray. Still, he knew he was different from the other cats and it all stemmed from that one day.

The face he saw in the mirror stuck with him. He vividly remembered the blonde hair and a human face. Despite how hard he tried, the cat could never return to that semi-human form. He reached a point where he gave up though his questions remained. Why was he in the palace that day? Why did he become a human? For a long time he had no answers, but that was different now. After seeing that girl, he was sure of it.

She would show him the answers.

After all, she was certainly Ladybug.

* * *

 **Comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

"What is this mess? Marinette! Come down here right now!"

Marinette was showing off her bedroom to Tikki when she heard her mother call down from the storefront. " _Oh no!"_ Marinette thought in terror as she raced down the stairs. " _I forgot to clean up the mess Tikki made downstairs! Maman is going to kill me!"_

"Who's that?" Tikki asked, bouncing up and down in Marinette's dress pocket.

"My parents are back," Marinette explained. She facepalmed and let out a loud groan. "And they don't sound too happy either. I guess you'll finally get to meet them, but promise to keep hidden. They'll freak out if they catch you!" Tikki winked and sunk deep into the pocket until she was completely out of sight.

Marinette entered the bakery nonchalantly, her arms innocently behind her back. "Maman! Papa! You're back early!" she exclaimed, feigning ignorance. "Is something wrong? You look upset."

Her mother raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Marinette, just what is this mess and why is the shop closed? We left you in charge for a few hours. I thought we could trust with this kind of responsibility."

"Let me explain!" Marinette begged, bowing her head. "I had to close the shop earlier when the memorial service for Prince Adrien came through. Alya came over and the two of us went out to pay our respects. I was pretty emotional, so Alya stayed with me until I was feeling better. Once she left, I planned on reopening, but there was a giant bug!" Marinette held out her arms to prove her point.

Her mom's eyes widened in disgust. "A b-bug?" Sabine asked nervously.

"Yep! It was the biggest bug I've ever seen! I tried to shoo it out with a pan, but it just wouldn't budge. It got into the pastries and made a huge mess. It knocked over a bunch of the trays and trailed crumbs all over the floor. I wanted to clean up, but it was so gross! I ended up hiding in my bedroom until you came home so that Papa could take care of it. But it looks like it already escaped."

Sabine looked at her husband, her face as white as a sheet. "Tom! There was a bug in here! A bug!"

"Now, now... Calm down," Tom said, rubbing his wife's back. "You know we keep this place spick and span. It seems unlikely that there would be a bug in here especially one of that size, but I'll take a look anyways. It's not worth the risk. You should go lay down for a little while. You don't look well."

Sabine held her head in her hand and sighed. "You're right," she agreed while she headed towards her bedroom. "It's been a long day. I don't know how much more stress I can take."

As Sabine disappeared into the house, Marinette gave her father a confused expression. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Did something happen while you were out?"

"It was nothing. Your mother just had a bit of a scare. They installed a trolley line near the square and the sound of the bells sent her into a tizzy. While I had my back turned buying groceries, she nearly was hit by one. As much as I love your mother, I must admit she has trouble keeping up with the times. She can be... forgetful. You'll have to keep an eye on her. But you know what would make your mother feel better? If you helped me clean up this mess."

"Okay Papa," Marinette giggled. She grabbed a broom and dustpan from the closet and began to sweep up the crumbs. Her father picked up the remaining chunks of cookies and placed them in the trash. Together they gathered all the fallen trays and washed them with soap and hot water. After a few minutes, the bakery was finally clean again. It looked like Tikki had never been there in the first place.

"So be honest with me, Marinette," Tom began, giving his daughter a curious glance. "You don't have to lie to me. I'm not like your mother. These things don't really bother me. Was there really a bug?" Marinette peaked down at her pocket and saw Tikki watching her with big eyes. The kwami put her finger to her lips and whispered, "Shh..."

"There really was a bug, Papa!" Marinette exclaimed. "I might have exaggerated a tiny bit, but it was really there and it scared me! It was pretty big too!"

Her father laughedloudly and said, "Guess I'm on the extermination squad now! If you see anything, let me know right away. A creature like that won't sit well with your mother or our customers, so we'll keep it our secret, okay?"

Marinette nodded her head. " _It's a secret all right..."_ she thought.

Marinette left her father, who began reorganizing the displays, and headed back up to her bedroom and shut the door tight. Tikki came flying out of Marinette's pocket with a cheery smile. "You're parents are really nice!" she exclaimed. "And your dad is super silly! I like him a lot!"

"He'd probably like you too, but definitely not my mom. She despises bugs! You'll have to be extra careful to stay out of sight when she's around otherwise there'll be no more Ladybug for the both of us. In fact, you should keep away from my dad too. He can really swing a pan and that would be bad news."

"Oops! I almost forgot I swiped a present for you!" Marinette announced as she pulled a silver tin out from beneath her dress. She opened the cover to reveal a wide array of cookies. "My treat! Dig in!"

Tikki dove into the cookies, letting herself become coated in their sugary goodness. She was amazed at how delicious they were. There was chocolate chip, sugar, gingerbread, and even strawberry jam! It was like a dream come true. She hadn't had a meal this good in years.

Marinette set the tin on her desk, leaving Tikki to enjoy herself. It was surprisingly entertaining to watch her chow down on cookies twice her size. Marinette admired her little friend and wished that she still felt that same innocent excitement sometimes. She used to be like that. Seeing her friends or basking in the sunshine instantly brightened her mood. She could spend all day outside, laughing in the streets and talking to strangers. In the past she had been naive, but when Prince Adrien passed she learned how cruel the world really could be. Her usual spark never truly returned.

 _Knock! Knock!_

Both Marinette and Tikki's heads perked up at the sudden racket. "What's that?" Tikki asked as she crammed another cookie into her mouth. Marinette stood up and walked over to her trapdoor. She opened it up a crack, but saw nobody there.

" _That's odd..."_ she thought as she returned her sitting on her bed. " _Both Tikki and I heard something. Where could that sound be coming from?"_

 _Knock! Knock!_

Her vision traveled towards the window and saw a black cat knocking its paw against the glass. Its vibrant green eyes startled Marinette. They were unlike anything she had ever seen. There was an unnatural energy to them. They seemed almost... human. The cat made eye contact with her and Marinette felt like it was staring directly into her soul. The cat glanced down at the window's lock as if it was saying, "Hey! Open up!" She could hears its quiet mews beyond the glass.

"What should I do?" Marinette asked, wondering why a random cat was knocking at her window. She had never had a problem with strays before.

"Let him in!" Tikki replied, disregarding her tin of cookies. "The poor thing looks starved! He probably smelled all the cookies we're hiding in here and wanted a bite to eat." Marinette took another look at the cat and realized he was abnormally skinny. If he was stray, he probably wasn't getting enough food to eat. Marinette's heart went out to the animal so she quickly ran over to the window and unlocked it.

The windows swung open and the cat jumped inside. It rubbed its body against Marinette's legs as a sign of thanks. " _His fur is so soft,"_ Marinette thought as she bent down to pick up the cat. " _I expected an alley cat to be dirty, but he's so clean and fluffy! Not to mention absolutely adorable!"_ The cat didn't seem to reject Marinette holding him, so Marinette began to rub his tummy. The cat purred happily, enjoying the attention.

"Look how cute he is!" Tikki gushed, taking her turn at petting the feline. "I could pet him all day long! Marinette, can we keep him? Please?"

"Hold on! I've already gained one new house guest today. I'm not sure there's space for another."

"But look at him! He doesn't have a collar, so he's probably living on the streets with no place to call his own. We can't abandon him! He looks like a nice kitty. I don't think he'll cause any trouble."

Marinette considered Tikki's request. " _He is pretty cute and I've never had a pet before. I'd feel bad if I sent him back outside in this condition. He might get sick easily. I kinda want to keep him too, but I'll have to ask Maman and Papa first."_

"We can keep him," Marinette sighed. Tikki did a somersault in joy. "But we have to ask my parents first," she continued. "I can hide you, but that's a lot harder to do for a cat. I'll have to get their permission, but I think I have a way to persuade them. It's also up to the cat. If he wants to leave, we have to let him. Since he's been living on the streets, he might not like being cooped up in a house. He knows what's best for himself."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Let's go ask your parents right now! I want to play with him and we need to get him some food."

Marinette gently carried the cat downstairs to where her father was working. She noticed the cat had an unusually smug expression as if he was pleased with himself. " _I didn't think cats could be so expressive,"_ Marinette thought. " _Maybe Tikki and I have stumbled upon an extra special cat."_ Then the cat proceeded let out a cute, little cat sneeze. His head shot back and he rubbed its paw against his nose in confusion. " _Or maybe he's just a normal cat."_

"Marinette, what's that?" Tom stopped kneading dough and found his daughter cradling an unfamiliar black cat. "I don't think I've ever seen this little fella before." Tom approached the cat and patted his head. Tom was a long time animal lover, so Marinette knew he would be an easy sell.

"He wandered into my room earlier," Marinette told her father. "He looks starved and I'm afraid if he goes back outside he'll get sick. Can we keep him? He'll be completely my responsibility. I'll keep him in my bedroom and make sure he has plenty of food and water. I can't abandon him, Papa! Please let me keep him!" Marinette gave her father the puppy dog eyes and Tom felt his willpower immediately dissolve. He was the type of father that had a hard time saying no to his little girl.

"While I trust you, I don't know how your mother would feel about having an animal in the house. This is also so sudden..."

"You didn't find that bug from before, right? If we keep him, we have a natural exterminator! He'll get rid of any pest the bakery could possibly have. Wouldn't that make Maman happy? Having a cat is certainly better than having bugs or mice! He's much cleaner and cuter!"

"You have a point there..."

"Thanks, Papa! You're the best!"

Marinette rose to her tiptoes and gave her father a kiss on the cheek. Tom blushed as his daughter skipped back upstairs to her bedroom. He crossed his arms and shook his head with a sigh. " _She's definitely my daughter. It'll be nice to have a fresh face around the house, but how am I going to explain this to Sabine?"_ Tom returned to kneading dough, awaiting his future scolding with a chuckle.

Back in her bedroom, Marinette set the cat down on her bed. He curled up into a ball on her pillow, making himself comfortable. He let out a soft "meow", causing Marinette and Tikki to giggle. "He looks like a prince sitting on his throne!" Marinette joked as she sat beside the cat. She began to delicately stroke his fur which he seemed to enjoy it.

"We have to give him a name!" Tikki said.

"A name?" Marinette repeated, taking another look at the cat. His fur was a deep black like the shadows of the night. He had a strange, mysterious aura. Marinette snapped her finger and announced, "I've got it! We'll name him Shadow since his fur is so black!"

"That's perfect!" Tikki squeaked. "He looks like a Shadow. Good thinking!"

Unfortunately, "Shadow" didn't agree. He scrunched up his nose in disgust, but neither Tikki nor Marinette seemed to notice. He had a name and one he greatly liked since he came up with it himself, but he didn't have a way to tell them that. He would have to deal with "Shadow" for now.

Shadow's stomach let out a loud growl. "We should get him something to eat," Marinette decided, standing up. "I have some bowls downstairs we can fill with water, but what should we feed him? I don't know what cats eat. I don't want to accidentally give him something that'll make him sick."

"You're right. I don't know what cats eat either. I knew a cat once that ate cheese, but he was pretty abnormal... Wait! Cats like fish, don't they?"

"That sounds about right. I think there's a fish vendor not far from here and I have some extra pocket money from working at the bakery. Let's go get him something to eat! I can also give you a tour of Paris while we're out. There's so many cool things I want to show you!"

"That's a great plan! Let's go then before it gets dark outside!" Tikki flew into Marinette's pocket as the girl grabbed her purse. Before leaving the room, she turned back to Shadow and gave him a stern warning. "You stay right here," she commanded, wagging her finger at him. "We're going to get you dinner, but only good kitties get to eat, got it? See you in a bit!" She happily jaunted down the steps, letting the trapdoor slam shut behind her.

" _That girl is the one I'm looking for,"_ the cat thought as Marinette left. " _That strange bug must be some kind of magical spirit. By lending her magic to that girl, she can transform into Ladybug. What was her name again? Oh yeah, Marinette. She's a strange girl. I don't think I've ever seen anyone smile that much. It's definitely a change from the people on the streets who only scowl at me."_

" _I don't have time to play pet though. I need to know what kind of information she has. She might be able to tell me who I am. She's the only lead I've got, but how could I be connected to a girl with magic powers? I'm beginning to have more questions than answers. Maybe there's something that could help me in this room."_

The cat jumped down from his pillow and began to look around. He stuck his head under the bed and only found dust bunnies. The closest was filled with handmade dresses, but no clues. He had already been up on the roof and there was nothing there. He didn't dare venture downstairs and chance getting caught by Marinette's parents. He checked every nook and cranny except for one place. His eyes landed on a desk situated in the corner.

Using the desk chair, he leaped on to the desk and examined its contents. There were some papers and pencils sitting out. The papers had designs for dresses on them. Someone highly skilled had made them and the cat wondered if they belonged to Marinette. He took extra care not to step on them and leave paw prints. Next to one of the designs was a flipped over piece of paper. Curious, the cat tried to flip it over using its nose and teeth. After a bit of a struggle, he was able to turn it over and was surprised with what he found.

Instead of another dress design, the image was a pencil portrait of a young boy. He looked about Marinette's age. His hair was brushed neatly to the side and he had soft, kind eyes. He was smiling, almost laughing. The picture looked like a snapshot of real life. The amount of detail was incredible and the sketch captured his semblance quite well. The cat felt strangely drawn to the picture. Something about it felt familiar. " _Who is this boy? Is he a friend of Marinette's?"_ he wondered, touching his paw to the boy's smile. " _Maybe I've passed him on the street before. I'm sure he's not important though."_

He dragged the portrait back to its original position in an attempt to cover his tracks and hopped off the desk. He returned his pillow and laid his head against his tail in despair. " _No luck yet,"_ he sighed. " _I can't give up though. This girl has to know something. I'm sure of it!"_

"Shadow! Look what we brought you!"

The cat's ears perked up at the sound of Marinette's voice. The sweetness of her voice was oddly pleasing to him. The trapdoor popped open and Marinette emerged holding a brown paper bag and a bowl of water. She ran over to him and set the water bowl down. Then she opened the bag and pulled out something covered in newspaper. She unwrapped it to reveal a large fish.

"We got it just for you, so you'd better enjoy," Marinette smiled as she patted his head. "Tikki helped me pick it out. She said this type of fish was especially delicious!" Marinette set the fish down next to the bowl and gestured for the cat to come down at eat. He hesitantly got up from his pillow and approached his meal. Tikki watched him eagerly, excited to see his reaction.

He lapped up some of the water since he had been feeling rather thirsty after exploring Marinette's bedroom. He turned to the fish and took a bite with his tiny fangs. " _Surprisingly delicious!"_ he thought as he went in for another bite. " _I've never had a meal this good before. I only ever gets scraps and it's usually just the fish bones."_

"He likes it!" Tikki exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I'm so glad! I could watch him eat for the rest of the night. He's so cute!"

"Knock yourself out," Marinette yawned, stretching out her arms. "But I think I'm going to head to bed. It's been a crazy day. I've met a kwami, gained magic Ladybug powers, and adopted a cat. I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up tomorrow and discovered it was all a dream. I'm going to need a good night's sleep to let this all process."

She walked over to her closet and pulled out a white nightgown. She removed her dress to which Shadow quickly looked away. He made sure to keep his eyes on the fish and not Marinette. Even as a cat, it was embarrassing. Marinette changed into the nightgown and untied her pigtails, letting her hair hang loose. It went down to her shoulders and was wavy from being in pigtails all day.

"Let's clean up before you go to bed." Marinette grabbed Shadow's water bowl and set it on the balcony to dry. She wrapped the fish bones in the newspaper and put it back in the bag. She threw the remains into the trash, then put her hands on her hips with a satisfied grin. "All clean!" she smiled, heading back to her bed.

"Tikki, you can sleep right here." Marinette pointed at a small pillow that she set in the corner of the bed. A piece of fabric was lying on top of it. She hoped it would function as a big enough blanket.

"It's perfect! Thank you!" Tikki smiled gratefully.

"I can't let my friend sleep on the floor, now can I? And for Shadow, you can sleep up here next to me." Marinette patted the empty space next to her on the bed.

Shadow raised an eyebrow, thinking, " _She's inviting me to sleep next to her? Normally I would decline, but I can't say no to that smile."_ He curled up next to her stomach, sharing her warmth. Being this close to her made his heart beat fast. He had never been this close to a human before.

Marinette stroked his back and whispered, "You're such a good boy. If you hadn't come in off the streets, I would've thought you were a house cat. Good night then, Shadow. Sleep tight." The cat responded with a meow and nuzzled his face against her side. He let her blankets fall over him, acting as a type of protection. They smelled distinctly like her, giving him a warm, fuzzy feeling. For once, he felt like he had somewhere where he belonged.

" _There's something special about this girl,"_ he thought as he began to close down for the night. " _I can't put my paw on it yet, but she has something. I've never met someone this kind. To cared for like this... it feels good. Even if I can't find any clues about who I am, I might just stick around anyways."_

"Good night, Tikki!" Marinette said, expecting a good night in response, but only heard the sounds of quiet snoring. " _She must've already fallen asleep,"_ Marinette thought with a silent giggle. " _I can't blame her. It's been a busy day for the both of us. I should get some sleep too..."_ With that, Marinette closed her eyes, surrounded by friends. Since Prince Adrien's death, she had never felt happier.

The three slept in silence aside from the chirping of the bugs outside. They were in peace, unaware of the future awaiting them tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay for more updates! This chapter is where this AU mixes it with canon a little bit. Things are different due to the setting and the circumstances, but I'm sure you'll all recognize this familiar villain :)**

* * *

Marinette awoke to something soft and furry sitting on her face. " _What is that?"_ she thought as she tried to open her eyes. A tuft of fur tickled her nose and she let out a loud "ACHOO!" Her body shook as she sneezed and whatever was sitting on her head fell off on to the floor. Marinette rubbed her eyes and leaned over the side of her bed. She found an annoyed Shadow glaring back at her.

"Sorry!" Marinette shouted, suddenly remembering her new pet cat. They went to bed together last night and somehow he had ended up on her face. It was his own fault for causing her to sneeze though. Perhaps next time he would pick a pillow that wasn't Marinette's face!

"I guess we're both wide awake now," laughed Marinette as she sat up. "Let's wake up Tikki and then we can get some breakfast. Would you like to have the honors?"

Much to Marinette's surprise, Shadow nodded and jumped back on to the bed to wake up Tikki. " _Did he really understand what I said?"_ Marinette wondered as she watched Shadow stealthily approach Tikki. " _I didn't think cats spoke French, but maybe they pick it up along the way."_

Shadow put his paw on Tikki's back and began to bump her. The kwami didn't budge. Shadow tried again, this time with his nose. There was still no response, but he still had one last trick to try. He began to lick her and started to meow loudly. "Eww!" Tikki screeched, quickly opening her eyes. "Shadow! You didn't have to lick me!"

"Don't be mad," Marinette giggled, giving Shadow a good petting as a reward. "We couldn't wake you! I didn't expect you to be such a heavy sleeper."

Marinette walked over to her closet and chose a dress to start the day. It was light blue and had an intricate pattern stitched on the bottom. The sleeves were short, making it perfect for a hot day. "What do you think?" Marinette asked Tikki and Shadow. "I'm planning on going out later today with my friend, Alya. How does this look?"

"It's beautiful!" Tikki gasped. She flew over and touched the fabric. "It's so soft too! I love it!"

"I made this one myself," Marinette added proudly. "It took over a week and the pattern was a pain, but it was definitely worth it. This is the first time I'll have a chance to wear it out. I haven't left the house much lately since it's been so busy at the bakery."

"Try it on! I want to see you in it!"

"Ta-da!"

Marinette turned around after changing into the dress, spinning around to show it off. "You're gorgeous!" Tikki exclaimed. If cats could blush, Shadow definitely would have been. Even he had to admit that Marinette looked stunning in that dress especially with her hair down almost like a princess.

"The only problem is that this dress doesn't have a pocket, so I have no place to hide you, Tikki. I'll have to make sure I'm carrying a bag instead." Marinette grabbed a cloth bag off the floor and slung it around her shoulder. "This should do. This bag might be big enough to carry both you and Shadow. Let's see."

Marinette lifted Shadow off the ground much to his dismay and placed him in the bag. He stuck his head out the top and meowed. "Perfect!' Marinette laughed. "There's plenty of space. Now you get in Tikki and then we can leave to go pick up Alya. She's my best friend by the way. I can't wait for you to meet her!" Tikki flew into the bag, taking a comfortable spot next to Shadow.

The trio went down the stairs and was stopped by Marinette's parents. "Good morning!" Sabine said, giving her daughter a tap on the shoulder. "You're certainly up early today." Her eyes landed on Shadow who was playing with a stray thread coming off the bag. She rose an eyebrow and asked, "Is the little friend your father told me about last night?"

"Yeah..." Marinette replied hesitantly. She hoped her mother wouldn't be upset. If she was, Marinette might have to send Shadow back out to the streets.

Sabine pet Shadow on the head which he seemed to enjoy. With a sigh, she said, "He is cute and we need someone to catch that bug. I suppose it'll be fine if he stays as long as he behaves. I don't want to be cleaning up his messes."

"He's a really good kitty," Marinette explained. "He won't make a mess and I'll keep him up in my room. Thanks! You're the best!" She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and continued on. "I'm going to meet Alya now. I'll be back later!" Her mother could hardly utter "good-bye" before her daughter was out the door.

Marinette watched Shadow anxiously as she walked through the busy streets of Paris. Even though it was Saturday morning, she didn't expect so many people to be out. She was afraid that Shadow might feel uneasy around so many strangers. He kept his head hidden inside the bag and kept silent. Marinette didn't know if he was nervous or just sleeping.

She arrived at a beautiful brick house just off the corner of her own street. Alya's family lived a life of luxury to say the least. Her mother worked as head chef for the palace which brought in good money. Marinette was sometimes jealous, but then remembered that Alya had several younger siblings she had to share the house with. Money definitely wasn't everything.

Marinette knocked on the door and it immediately swung open. Alya was standing there, already fully dressed with bag in hand. "Marinette?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? I was about to visit your house to see if you wanted to go out for a bit. I guess you beat me to it!"

Then she spotted Shadow who seemed to have woken up from his nap. "Who's this? He's so cute!" Alya squealed, plucking Shadow out of the bag. The cat looked up at her in alarm since he wasn't prepared to be touched by anyone other than Marinette. Shadow glanced back at Marinette for help, but she was more interested in laughing at Alya than helping him.

Alya tickled his tummy and threw him up in the air playfully. When Shadow came back down, he looked like he was going to be sick. Naturally, Alya threw him up again and this time he did a little flip. " _This is not good,"_ he thought as he dug his claws into Alya's dress to keep himself steady. Despite not having breakfast yet, there was a good chance that something was going to come back up.

"I think he's had enough," Marinette said as she noticed Shadow's sickly expression. She grabbed him back and set him gently in her bag. "Shadow isn't quite used to being around overly affectionate people yet. He might feel better staying in my bag."

"Are you sure? He looks pretty heavy. I can carry him if you want."

"No, this is fine. I think he's more comfortable in there anyways."

" _God bless her,"_ Shadow thought in relief. " _I still feel dizzy and my fur is a mess. Are most human girls this energetic?"_

"Let's get going," said Marinette, pulling Alya out of the doorway. "Shadow and I haven't eaten yet, so we're starved. Do you want to stop by that fruit stall around the corner? We can grab something and then eat in the park. I want to go see all the flowers they planted!"

"Sure," Alya laughed as she and Marinette ran back out into the street. While they walked, Alya noticed Marinette seemed to have an unusual skip in her step. She expected the poor girl to still be depressed after yesterday, but it was the exact opposite.

"What's gotten into you?" Alya asked. "You can hardly keep that smile off your face."

"Last night ended being a really great night if you can believe it," Marinette confessed. "I talked to someone who ended up making me feel a lot better."

"I would normally press for details, but I'm so happy to see you smiling that I don't care. This is really something to celebrate!" Alya gave her friend a warm hug to reaffirm her point. All night she had been stressed about how Marinette was feeling. Marinette was a strong girl, but when she got upset, it could be hard to snap her out of a funk. Alya secretly wondered who was able to turn her frown upside down.

"There's the stall!" Marinette shouted, running over to the fruit vendor. "Everything looks so good!" There were apples, oranges, grapes, and every kind of fruit Marinette could imagine for sale. " _Everything looks delicious,"_ she thought as she perused her options. " _I bet Tikki would eat any of these, but what would Shadow like? Cats can eat fruit, right?"_

"Hey Mari, what are you gonna get?" Alya asked as she pulled out her pocketbook. She was holding a fresh orange and handed her money to the man. Marinette went for the apples and ended up grabbing three of them. "Three?" Alya laughed. "How hungry are you?"

"They're not all for me. Shadow needs breakfast too."

"Okay, but then who's gonna eat that last apple? You can always give it to-"

 _THUD!_

The entire street shook and the buildings rattled. Both Alya and Marinette fell to the ground,the fruit tumbling out of their hands. Shadow fell out of the bag, into the dirt. "What the heck was that?" Alya shouted as she helped Marinette stand back up. "I didn't think Paris had earthquakes."

The girls brief conversation was interrupted by dozens of screams.

"What is that?"

"Get out of the way!"

"It's heading right for us!"

Marinette and Alya looked up to see a giant creature made of stone running straight towards them. It had glowing yellow eyes and was at least ten meters tall. Its entire body was made of mossy stone and in one of his hands was a girl, desperate for help. She was beating on the monster's fists in a vain attempt to be released from his iron grip. The monster didn't seem keen on letting her go.

"What is that thing?" Alya shrieked.

"I don't know, but we need to get out of here before it crushes us!"

Marinette grabbed Alya's hand and sprinted into a nearby alley. Shadow ran behind them. Covered by the darkness of the alley, Marinette prayed that the monster wouldn't see them.

" _What is that?"_ Marinette thought as she tried to catch her breath. " _It's a giant stone beast and it's destroying the city! What are we going to do? We can't hide in this alley forever, but that monster could be anywhere. What about Maman and Papa too? What if the monster gets them?"_

"Marinette, I have to get back out there!" Alya exclaimed. She pulled a pad of paper and pencil out of her bag. "This could be the story that gets me published! I need to see the monster up close so I can get all the details!"

"It's too dangerous! You saw that thing. It could crush you like a bug. I'm not going to let you leave."

"Sorry!" Alya dodged past Marinette and ran back out into the street. Marinette chased her to the corner of the alley, but stopped. Alya disappeared amongst the fleeing crowds. Marinette slid down against the wall and held her head in her hands. Shadow rubbed against her leg, trying to make her feel better.

" _What should I do?"_ Marinette groaned. " _She's going to get hurt and I couldn't stop her!"_

"Marinette, you need to transform!" Tikki came flying out of Marinette's bag. "That's an akuma out there, I'm sure of it! You have to go fight him and save Alya! You have to save Paris!"

"Me? Are you insane? That thing could make mincemeat out of me! And what's an akuma? You're not making sense again..."

"Listen to me! That monster is a normal person possessed by an evil spirit called an akuma. He's being controlled by another miraculous user with the goal of the destroying the city. The only one who can stop it is Ladybug! This is the great evil you need to fight!"

"I know you called it a great evil before, but I didn't think it was going to be this 'great'! What could I do to stop it?"

"A person can only become possessed by an akuma when they get upset. The akuma manifests itself in an object that grants the user temporary powers. If you can destroy that object, the akuma will come out and you can purify it. All you need to do is catch it with your yo-yo. My magic will take care of the rest."

"Tikki, I can't do this!" Marinette was shaking now. The sudden weight of her expectations were crashing down hard. " _That monster will kill me! What if I mess up and someone else gets hurt? I didn't think being Ladybug meant I had to fight humongous rock monsters. Can I give back the earrings? Is it too late?"_

"I know it's scary, but you're the chosen one. It can only be you."

There was another wave of screams and a loud, furious roar. Tikki gave Marinette a nervous look. "We need to hurry," she said. "People are in danger! Alya's in danger!"

" _Alya..."_ Marinette's eyes narrowed. While wallowing in her own self-pity, she had completely forgotten about her best friend. Alya was in danger and best friends didn't abandon each other. "You're right," Marinette said, taking a deep breath. "I have to do this. Tikki! Spots on!"

There was a swirl of light and Marinette felt her dress transform into Ladybug's suit. She clenched her fist and thought, " _I'm going to have to trust Tikki. I can't let Paris or Alya get destroyed by this monster. He's going to regret ever messing with me."_

She unhooked her yo-yo and prepared to take to the rooftops, hoping to scope out the monster's location. That's when she felt Shadow clawing at her leg. He saw meowing loudly, almost begging her not to leave him. Marinette was surprised with how relaxed he was. She thought seeing magic in action would phase him at least a little, but maybe cats were used to seeing magic.

"You need to stay here," Marinette, now Ladybug, said. She patted his head to reassure him. "I don't want you to get hurt too. I promise I'll be back to get you." Shadow didn't seem convinced, but backed away. He hung his head and she gave him a sad smile. With that, Ladybug jumped onto the closest roof and gazed over Paris's skyline.

" _Let's see..."_ Ladybug mused as she vaulted from roof to roof. " _That monster couldn't have gotten far. It's only been five minutes since I last saw him, so he should be somewhere around-"_

"HELP!"

" _Yep! There he is!"_

Marinette watched the monster punch a building, sending the entire structure crumbling down. Both his hands were closed tight, one holding the girl from before and the other mysteriously shut. The beast was destroying whatever was in his path. All sane people had run away which left behind only dirt and rubble. From behind the monster, Ladybug saw something moving.

" _Alya!"_ Ladybug thought, horrified. " _She's way too close! That thing will step on her! It looks like it's my time to shine and save her butt like always."_ She tossed her yo-yo at the monster and it twirled around his arm. The yo-yo pulled her towards the monster and then quickly unraveled, leaving Ladybug about five meters away from him; a distance slightly too close for comfort.

"Hey stonehead!" Ladybug taunted. She needed to get the monster away from Alya and get that girl out of his hands. Once she took care of that, they could fight which was something she hadn't quite figured out yet. But there needed to be more action and less thinking.

The monster turned to her, surprised that anyone was fighting back. "The name's Stoneheart!" he bellowed. "Who are you?"

"Ladybug, pleased to me you. Now if you'd be so kind as to let that girl go, I'd greatly appreciate it."

The monster roared and held the girl higher into the air. "Mylene is mine! I won't let you have her! Get out of my way!" He charged at her at an alarming speed for someone made out of solid stone. He took a swing at her, but she swiftly dodged it. Being Ladybug boosted her agility levels.

"Have you tried asking how she feels?" Ladybug asked as she swung around to the monster's backside.

" _Okay... okay... This is good,"_ she told herself. " _You're keeping him busy, so he's not hurting anyone or destroying anything. I don't know how to stop him though. Maybe I can get up towards his hands and force him to let that girl go."_

She threw her yo-yo and watched it loop around Stoneheart's neck. Giving the line a tug, it pulled her up and she landed on his head. Stoneheart screamed and tried to swat her off his face. In the process, he dropped Mylene to the ground. She ran away to safety as soon as she hit dirt. Stoneheart tried to pull Ladybug away, but refused to open his other hand. Whatever he was hiding in there was important.

Stoneheart began to rock his body violently. " _Hold on tight!"_ Ladybug thought as she tried to find something to grip on the giant's head. But it was all smooth stone, so her hands had nothing to grab. Stoneheart jerked his head forwards and Ladybug came flying off, landing back on the street.

" _That hurt!"_ Ladybug groaned as she rubbed her head. " _This plan isn't going to work. I need to think of something else. I need to find that object Tikki was talking about. I bet it's in his closed fist. Now I only need him to open it!"_

She tried to stand up, but found her legs were killing her. She was going to need a moment to recover, but Stoneheart wasn't going to give her that luxury. "Get away!" he wailed. Before she could move, Stoneheart was bringing his fists down at Ladybug, prepared to take her out with a single strike.

" _This is it!"_ Ladybug cringed. " _I tried my best, Tikki, but I think you picked the wrong Ladybug. I'm sorry..."_ She braced herself for impact as a dark shadow loomed over her. She closed her eyes and covered her head. " _Here it comes..."_

 _CLANG!_

Ladybug heard the sound of rock hitting metal. She opened her eyes and found a boy holding the monster back. But he was no normal boy considering he had cat ears and a tail. He was holding a steel rod up against Stoneheart's fists, protecting her. In a brief moment of confusion, Ladybug observed the boy. He couldn't be much older than her and had striking blonde hair. His back was turned to her so she couldn't see his face.

"Now would be a good time to run!" he shouted as Stoneheart pushed harder against his baton. He was going to have to pull away and didn't want a squashed bug or cat. Ladybug quickly pulled him away and let Stoneheart's fist collide with the ground, sending bricks and dirt flying. She dragged the catboy away behind a stray cart and shoved him down.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Are you crazy?" When she finally got to see his face, she was awestruck. He was handsome despite having a black mask hiding most of his features. What hit her the most were his emerald eyes. They looked strangely familiar.

The boy bowed and said, "I'm Chat Noir, at your service. It looks like you've run into some trouble and I'm here to help."

"Do you have a miraculous too?" Marinette was unaware that she was getting a partner.

"I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that," Chat Noir apologized. For a moment, he got lost in her bluebell eyes. He wasn't used to seeing her at eye level. He cursed himself for getting distracted and continued on. "I've got a lot of questions too, but I'm hoping you might be able to provide some answers. But right now we need to stop Stoneheart!"

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"My lady, you don't have a choice."

He was right. By herself, she stood no chance against Stoneheart even with Tikki's magic. She needed someone to be the bait while she came up with a plan. She took another look at Chat Noir and bit her lip. " _He seems trustworthy enough. I'll have to take him up on his offer. But I can't shake the feeling that I've seen him before though. It's making me uneasy."_

"Alright then," Ladybug nodded, sticking out her hand. "It's a deal." Chat Noir took her hand and firmly shook it. He had a catlike smile on his face which looked both cute and devious. He quickly stood up and extended his baton which Ladybug assumed was similar to her yo-yo.

"I'm sure you've got a plan, so I'll play around with this hunk of junk for a little while. You must have some kind of spell you can use. And don't look so nervous. You saved that girl from before. You're a hero. Now we need to finish it off. Just give me the signal and we'll send this rock rolling!" He somersaulted out from behind the cart and pointed his staff at Stoneheart. "Get ready for a good beating!" Chat Noir cried, barrelling forward to attack.

He lunged forward and hit Stoneheart square on the head. To his dismay, the monster refused to back down and instead increased in size with each hit. Chat Noir looked back over at Ladybug with a frown. "I think now's a good time for that plan!" he shouted, narrowly dodging a hit from Stoneheart. "Attacking him isn't working!"

" _Why do I have to come up with the plan?"_ Ladybug cursed. " _I know I'm going to die. This is it. I wish I could tell my parents and Alya goodbye before I leave this world. I can't do this!"_

 _You saved that girl from before. You're a hero._

Chat Noir's words rang through her head. " _A hero?"_ Ladybug scoffed, brushing away her bangs. " _Would a hero cower in a corner like this? I'm anything but. Chat Noir would be better off without me, but I can't leave him alone. He's trusting me!"_

Ladybug was still hiding behind the cart, but it wouldn't be long before Stoneheart found her. " _There has to be something I can do... Wait! I can use the spell Tikki was talking about from before. I completely forgot!"_

Ladybug stood up and shouted, "Lucky Charm!" Her yo-yo went flying into the sky and came back down with a strange red and black spotted object. Ladybug examined the object and realized that it was nothing more than a large piece of cloth. " _This is it?"_ Ladybug thought in frustration. " _What am I supposed to do with this? Blindfold him?"_

"Ladybug, I really need your help!" Chat Noir was running circles around Stoneheart trying not to get caught. He used his baton to block any attacks, but was too afraid to strike back. He didn't want Stoneheart to get even bigger. "Seriously! Anytime soon would be great!"

"Give me a second!" Ladybug shouted back. "I need to think." She ran her hand across the cloth. It was thick and made more like a sail than normal fabric. While trying to think, Ladybug turned around and saw someone peeking from around the corner. It was the girl Stoneheart had been holding captive, Mylene. Instead of leaving the scene, she had stayed behind to watch. She had a nervous expression and looked ready to cry. Did she know the monster?

"That's it!" Ladybug exclaimed, sprinting towards the girl. Chat Noir watched her hurry away and didn't have time to protest before Stoneheart took another swing. As Ladybug approached Mylene, the girl shrank back into the shadows. "No! It's okay," Ladybug smiled, offering the girl her hand. "I'm here to stop that monster."

"He isn't a monster," Mylene argued in a hushed tone. "He's my friend..." Ladybug recalled Tikki mentioning that these akuma were only possessed humans. Something must've angered Mylene's friend which allowed him to become possessed.

"I'm going to save your friend then!" Ladybug put her hand on Mylene's shoulder to keep her calm. "I'm going to need your help though. Will you help me?" Mylene nodded since she had no other choice. "Great," Ladybug smiled, clapping her hands together. "I need you to go back out there and let him capture you. I promise I won't let him hurt you. I'll take care of everything from here, but you must trust me!"

Mylene looked worried, but put on a brave face. "Hang on," Ladybug instructed. She pulled Mylene close and the girl wrapped her arms around Ladybug's torso. Ladybug threw her yo-yo up and it hooked onto a nearby chimney. She pulled herself and Mylene safely to the roof. Then, she surveyed the area, looking for one thing specifically.

In the distance was a tall building. It was a brand new hotel built by the Bourgeois family. It was considered an architectural feat because of its height and it was exactly the location Ladybug needed.

"Stoneheart!" Ladybug shouted. The monster looked up at her and then over at Mylene. His eyes began to glow even brighter and he beat his chest with his fists. "Mylene! Give her back!"

"Try and catch us then!" Ladybug smirked, jumping to the next rooftop. "Chat Noir, keep up! I'm going to need your help!"

Chat Noir nodded and extended his baton, vaulting himself to Ladybug's side. "Is this your plan?" he asked, running on all fours along the roof shingles. "A game of cat and mouse? We're all going to get killed like this!"

"Don't worry," Ladybug grinned confidently. "I've got a plan!"

From the streets below, Stoneheart was chasing the heroes. Unbeknownst to him, he was running right into Ladybug's trap.

Once they arrived at the hotel, Ladybug swung herself up onto the roof with Chat Noir close behind. They were extremely high up. Anyone who jumped off here would have to have a death wish. Stoneheart stood at the base of the hotel and pounded his fists against the hotel, breaking through the walls. "Mylene! Give her to me!" he shouted.

"Come up and get her!" Ladybug taunted. She tied her yo-yo around Mylene's waist and carefully leaned her over the side so Stoneheart could see her face. If Ladybug could upset the beast even more, he would be more likely to make mistakes. Stoneheart saw Mylene and began to climb up the hotel walls. The distance between them wasn't great, so Ladybug would have to be quick.

"Mylene! On my cue, I need you to jump!" Ladybug demanded, recoiling her yo-yo. Mylene turned white. Ladybug thought she might start crying.

"Are you nuts?" Chat Noir interjected. "What's going to stop her from hitting the ground? She'll die!"

Ladybug shook her head. "Stoneheart won't let her fall. I can guarantee that. But if anything goes wrong, you need to swoop down and save her. You need to be ready for action anyways. When Stoneheart drops whatever is in his fist, you need to catch it and bring it back to me."

The sheer confidence in her voice shocked Chat Noir. Her plan sounded crazy, but she believed in it. The cat could hardly believe this was the same girl who had been panicking fifteen minutes ago. Her entire aura had changed. She truly looked like a hero.

"Alright..." Chat Noir nodded, deciding to believe in her. There was something in her that captured his attention, not allowing him to look away.

Ladybug ran over to the edge where Stoneheart was drawing extremely close. She wrapped her yo-yo around his open hand, forcing it shut. His free hand was completely unusable now. Next, she grabbed Mylene and said, "Now it's your turn. I know this is scary, but it's the only way I can save your friend. Trust me."

Without hesitation, Mylene stepped onto the edge of the building, her dress flapping wildly in the wind. She looked down at Stoneheart and smiled. "They're going to save you, Ivan," she whispered to herself. She let the wind take her body as she fell over the side.

Stoneheart watched Mylene fall and reached out his hand to grab her, but his empty hand was shut tight by Ladybug's yo-yo. In a split decision, he opened his other hand and put it out underneath Mylene, catching her. A crumpled ball of paper fell out.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug cried. "Help me get that! The akuma should be in there!" Chat Noir didn't know what an akuma was, but he followed her instructions nonetheless. He jumped off the side and plummeted down. He saw the wad of paper and hit it back up towards Ladybug with his staff. Then, he stabbed his baton into the wall to stop himself from falling.

Ladybug reached over the side of the hotel and grabbed the paper. She ripped it in half and the paper suddenly lost its purple hue. A black butterfly flew out, trying to escape. " _That must be akuma!"_ Ladybug thought. " _What did Tikki say to do? I just have to catch it with my yo-yo!"_

"No more evil doing for you!" she shouted, tossing her yo-yo in the akuma's direction. The device quickly snatched the bug up and then reopened. A beautiful white butterfly flew out into the open sky. "Wow..." Ladybug said in awe. It was hard to believe such a small creature had contained so much evil.

"Ladybug, we've got a problem!" She heard Chat Noir yell from below. She looked over the side and saw a purple mist form around Stoneheart. His body began to shrink and he was returning to normal. Mylene began to fall along with the boy who had lost his grip on the building. They were both going to hit the ground!

"Chat! Grab him and I'll get Mylene!" Ladybug replied, now throwing herself off the roof. She pointed her body downwards and opened her arms to Mylene. Mylene grabbed her hands and Ladybug pulled her close. " _What now?"_ Ladybug thought as the ground was getting closer. " _If I throw my yo-yo from here, there's no guarantee it'll latch onto something. We still might hit the ground!"_

Then she remembered the cloth from before. It was tied on to her arm so she wouldn't lose it. "Mylene, untie that cloth and give it to me," Ladybug said. Mylene undid the cloth and handed it back to Ladybug. She held the cloth above her head and prayed, " _Please work..."_

A giant gust of wind came through and caught the cloth. All of sudden, Ladybug and Mylene's descent slowed. The cloth acted as a glider that would safely take them down. Ladybug looked over and saw Chat Noir, sitting on his baton, holding on to a large boy. He gave her a wink and then carefully jumped down to the ground, boy in hand.

Ladybug felt her feet land on solid ground and let out a sigh of relief. She let Mylene go and watched the girl run over to hug her friend. Ladybug recognized him now. His name was Ivan and he was the son of the butcher just a few blocks down from her house. He was usually a kind boy, so Ladybug wondered what must have happened to turn him into a raging, stone monster.

" _Marinette!"_

A little voice rang in Ladybug's head. " _Tikki?"_ Ladybug wondered. " _Did you see that? I really defeated the akuma! I did it!"_

" _Yep and I'm so proud of you, but your work isn't done yet! There's one last thing you need to do."_

" _What's that?"_

" _You need to restore the city to normal. Everything's a mess like this. Just throw your Lucky Charm into the air and shout 'Miraculous Ladybug'! That'll take care of everything!"_

Ladybug looked around and realized that everything was a disaster. Buildings were destroyed and there was rubble everywhere. There was a gaping hole inside the hotel from where Stoneheart had gotten upset. " _I didn't realize how much stuff Stoneheart destroyed. Good thing magic makes for a quick clean-up."_

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

She threw the cloth into the air and into dissolved into red light. The light swirled around the city, restoring everything to normal. Buildings rebuilt themselves and all the debris disappeared. It was like there had never been an akuma in the first place.

"Woah..." a voice said from behind her. Ladybug swerved to see Chat Noir cheekily smiling. "I'm impressed," he laughed, tucking away his baton at his waist. "This is some powerful magic. You must be a pretty high-level witch."

"I don't think I'd call myself a witch or even a magician..." Ladybug replied sheepishly. "I'm just a hero trying to save the day with a little bit of magic."

 _Beep!_

Ladybug was startled by the sudden noise. " _That must be my earrings!"_ she thought as she touched a hand to her ear. " _I'll return to normal Marinette soon. I'd better get out of here, but I want to take a second look at that piece of paper."_

She spotted the crumbled paper on the ground and opened it up. " _It's a love song?"_ she thought as she read its contents. " _That's so sweet, but why would this make Ivan upset? Did he get rejected? I should probably return this to him before I leave."_

Ivan was still sitting on the ground with Mylene trying to comfort him. He still seemed to be in a daze. Ladybug walked over and knelt down to eye level. "I think this belongs to you," she smiled. Ivan took the paper hesitantly and nodded. He was blushing. "Don't be nervous," Ladybug laughed. "I hope I'm not prying, but did something make you upset by chance?"

"I scared Mylene with my song..." Ivan replied. He looked ashamed. "I didn't mean to be scary, but when she ran away, some girl watching made fun off me and I lost my cool. Then this weird butterfly came out of nowhere and the rest is a blur..."

"But I wasn't scared!" Mylene protested, giving Ivan a big hug. "You just startled me, that's all. I think your song was sweet." Just to show Ivan how much she adored it, Mylene gave Ivan a quick peck on the cheek. The boy turned even redder and began to twiddle his thumbs, avoiding eye contact.

" _How cute..."_ Ladybug giggled. " _They're in love."_

"Who was this girl?" Ivan and Mylene looked up and saw Chat Noir now beside them. He didn't want to miss out on the party, so he joined in. He, like Ladybug, wanted to know who was responsible for turning Ivan into a monster.

"Her name is Chloe... Chloe Bourgeois," Ivan confessed, his head hanging. Ladybug clicked her tongue in disgust. " _I should've guessed it,"_ she moaned. " _That girl has nothing better to do than bother other people. I thought she was only a menace at lessons, but she's apparently taken her terror to the streets. Wonderful..."_

"Excuse me..." Mylene piped up quietly. "But who are you two?"

"I'm Ladybug and that's Chat Noir. You don't need to worry about us. We're just here to help. And you two should start heading home. It's not safe to lay in the street like this."

Mylene helped Ivan stand up and they walked hand in hand down the street. " _All's well that ends well,"_ Ladybug smiled proudly. " _I didn't think being Ladybug would give me matchmaking powers."_

 _Beep!_

"I'm sorry, but I have to go..." Ladybug apologized to Chat Noir, slowly backing away. "I don't have much time before my magic wears off. I don't want to show all of Paris who I really am, so this is goodbye! Thanks for your help, Chat Noir. I couldn't have done it without you!"

"Wait!" Chat Noir yelled. He grabbed Ladybug's wrist and pulled her back, a strange shiver running through his spine. She noticed that his gloved hands were covering what looked to be real claws. Now taking a closer look at him, he didn't seem to just be a boy in a cat costume like she first assumed. His cat ears wiggled while he spoke and his tail moved with a mind of its own. It looked like he was actually half cat!

"I'm sorry, Chat. I need to leave."

"Then I'm coming with you!"

"You can't do that! I'm supposed to keep my identity a secret and I hardly even know you."

"You don't recognize my face?" Chat Noir cocked his head. He stared at her with sad, green eyes. "I'm hurt."

" _Recognize his face? He did look familiar, but I definitely would've remembered a boy dressed up as a cat."_ Ladybug scratched her head, trying to remember something. " _But I feel like I've seen that pouty expression before..."_

Chat Noir shook his head and sighed. "I'll have to spell it out for you then. Very well... It can't hurt to have a proper introduction. My name is Chat Noir though you have taken upon yourself to name me Shadow. And you, my dear Ladybug, might have the answers to all of my questions."

* * *

 **Comments and criticisms are appreciated! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

"S-Shadow?" Ladybug sputtered, shaking her head. "That's impossible! He's a cat and you're clearly not!"

"Come now, Ladybug... Don't you recognize these alluring green eyes? I've often been told that they're unforgettable."

Ladybug paused for a moment and looked Chat Noir in the eyes. She looked a little shaken, but she still wasn't entirely convinced. "You still don't believe me?" Chat Noir pouted, looking hurt. "I can prove it. That mask of yours keeps your identity a secret, right?"

"Yes..."

"Well it's not much of secret if other people knew it. Wouldn't you agree, Marinette?"

Ladybug jumped forward and clamped her hand over Chat Noir's mouth. "Quiet down!" she whispered, giving him an angry glare. "No one is supposed to know who I am. Tikki said it's dangerous. I believe you now, but you can't go around saying stuff like that out loud."

 _Beep!_

" _Marinette, you're going to detransform. We need to find someplace to hide!"_

Tikki's voice filled Ladybug's head. She only had a few more minutes befores she would return to normal and people were beginning to crowd the area. But she couldn't leave Chat Noir behind. She still had far too many questions for him, so he'd have to come along. He knew her secret anyways.

Ladybug removed her hand and grabbed Chat Noir's arm. "Let's go," she commanded. "We need to get out of here, but I'm not letting you out of my sight. You have a lot of explaining to do." Chat Noir gulped, but held tightly onto Ladybug. She pulled out her yo-yo and swung away to the one place she'd knew they'd be safe, her house. While Ladybug and Chat Noir fled, neither noticed a girl with a notebook who was hiding in the corner, documenting everything she had just seen.

They arrived on the bakery rooftop just in time. The moment Ladybug's feet touched down there was swirl of light and she transformed back into Marinette. Tikki came flying out of the earrings and landed in Marinette's pocket. Chat Noir watched the girl detransform with wide eyes. Despite seeing the magic himself, it was still difficult for him to wrap his head around it though his own predicament was far stranger.

"Let's go down to my room," Marinette told Chat Noir as she opened the trapdoor to her bedroom. "It'll be better to talk in there instead of hanging out of the roof. I'm sure you're already familiar with it anyways." Chat Noir obediently followed her into her room and she gestured for him to take a seat on the bed. Tikki came flying out and landed on Marinette's shoulder.

"So you're saying that you're Shadow, correct?" Marinette crossed her arms and gave Chat Noir an inquisitive glare. She was going to get answers even if it meant standing there all night.

"Yes, princess. That's actually what I-"

"Please let me finish first," Marinette said, cutting him off. "I'm not done yet. Anyways, if you're Shadow, how come you look like a person right now?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. When you were about to fight that monster, I felt a strange rush of energy and all of a sudden, I became human. I didn't have much time to stop and think about it because you were in trouble."

"But you aren't fully human, are you? You've still got cat ears and a tail. That's definitely not normal. You're a black cat like Shadow though and you knew I was Ladybug, so I'm have no choice but to believe you. I can't say I understand, but I believe you. Tikki, what do you think about all this?"

Tikki left Marinette's shoulder and floated over to Chat Noir. She flew around him, examining him closely. She tugged on his ears to which Chat Noir shouted, "Careful! That hurts!" They were real alright, but his ears weren't what bothered her most. There was a silver ring on his finger that looked exactly like the one in her memory. It seemed impossible, but maybe...

"Marinette..." Tikki said slowly. "There's something else I need to tell you about the miraculous. I didn't tell you before because I didn't think it would be necessary. Having Chat Noir here completely proves me wrong though."

"What do you mean?"

"Ladybug has the power of creation and good luck, but there must be a power to counteract that. That is the power of destruction and bad luck. There must be balance. Since the beginning of the era of Ladybug, she has always had a partner who represents her other half. They have a kwami like me and have always been a black cat named Chat Noir."

"Me?" Chat Noir pointed to himself. He seemed more confused than Marinette now. He never had a kwami and definitely didn't have magical powers. Up until an hour ago, he thought he was a normal cat or at least pretended to be. He didn't understand how he fit into this larger picture.

"It seems that you are Chat Noir," Tikki continued. "But that shouldn't be right. Chat Noir is a human, not a real cat. When I first saw you, I thought you couldn't be him until I saw that ring on your finger. That is Chat Noir's miraculous. I can tell. It's a sign that you are the chosen one."

Chat Noir admired his ring. It was black and had a green pawprint in the center. "But I've never seen this ring before," he protested, holding up his hand. "It only appeared when I became human."

"The ring seems to be attached to your human form then. It'll only appear if you transform. And if you use Chat Noir's magic spell, you will return to being a cat after five minutes. That's what I'd assume," Tikki explained further. "But this should be impossible! You can't be a cat! You're supposed to be a human and have a kwami named Plagg! Do you know him? Have you seen him at all? Marinette noticed a hint of worry and panic in Tikki's voice.

Chat Noir shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't who you're talking about. Do you want this ring back then? Maybe it'll help you find him. I don't think a cat like me should have magic like this..."

"You must keep it," Tikki said firmly. "If you have the miraculous, it must belong to you. You couldn't have stumbled upon it by accident. Plagg chose you for some reason. Where could he have disappeared to though? He normally never leaves his miraculous user's side. Something must be wrong."

"That's not the only thing that's wrong," Marinette added. "Care to explain more about these akumas? You didn't tell me I would be fighting giant rock monsters. Do you know how many times I almost died?"

"I'm sorry," Tikki apologized. "I thought if I told you everything right away, you wouldn't agree to be Ladybug. But now I'll tell you everything I know."

"Yeah, you'd better." Marinette sat down beside Chat Noir, prepared to hear a story. He scooted close to her, allowing their shoulders to touch. Marinette was surprised by the sudden contact, but didn't say anything. A flirty cat was the least of her concerns.

"I'm not sure where to start, so I'll start from the beginning." Tikki took a deep breath. "The Ladybug and Chat Noir miraculouses are not the only miraculouses in existence. There are five others, most of which are harmless. However, there is one that has the power to bring great destruction. It isn't inherently evil, but can be used to bring harm if put in evil hands. It is the butterfly miraculous possessed by the kwami, Nooroo."

"The butterfly miraculous allows its user to grant temporary magic powers to someone in need. It's intention was to help people selflessly as it doesn't give the user any true power. But when abused, it can be used to create vengeful monsters that obey their creator's demands. These monsters and the vessels that give them power are called akuma."

"These akuma stem from one person. They are a great threat to Paris and maybe even the world. That is where you and Chat Noir come in. While part of your job is to defeat the akuma, you must also try to find whoever is harboring the butterfly miraculous and defeat them. Until they are stopped, their evil influence will continue to spread."

Marinette pursed her lips. " _This is bigger than I thought,"_ she worried, biting on her fingernail. " _One of those akuma took out an entire chunk of the city today. If Chat Noir or I hadn't been there, then all of Paris could've been obliterated. How am I supposed to take on someone that creates monsters like that?"_

"So we have to stop this person?" Chat Noir asked as he shook his head. "You must be mistaken. I'm not supposed to take out villains or fight monsters. Up until yesterday I was scavenging through an alley just trying to find enough food to eat. This was fun and all, but you've got the wrong cat. Sorry."

"Don't you get it?" Marinette stood up, knocking Chat Noir off her side. He was startled by her sudden outburst. "There's someone out there threatening to plunge this city into chaos. Our city! Cat or human, this is where we live and if we've been chosen to save it, we're gonna save it! Where's that sly attitude of yours from earlier, huh? You were so confident before and now you're going to back out?"

"I-"

"I don't want excuses. I'm scared too, but I'm going to fight and protect my city with or without you." Marinette's legs were shaking. Scared was an understatement. She was downright terrified. That akuma frightened her and she never wanted to see anything like it again. But she didn't want Paris to face something like that on its own either.

"You told me I was a hero. You believed in me!" Marinette said, shooting Chat Noir a determined glare. "And that was the push I needed to actually do something. Now the tables have turned. I can't do this alone. So Chat Noir, can I believe in you?"

She offered him her hand, taking a chance by holding it out to him. Chat Noir looked at it and then back at her. His heartbeat quickened and a cheeky smile bloomed on his face. He grabbed her hand with his paw and shook it vigorously, failing to notice how strangely sweaty his paws were becoming. "You've changed my mind," Chat Noir grinned, feeling a sudden spark ignite within him. "You've got spunk, princess. You'll be a fine hero."

"Thanks, but what's with the nicknames? Princess? My lady?"

"I just thought of bugaboo! That one's pretty cute!"

"Let's not with that one," Marinette laughed. "We can just call each other by our real names. I'm sorry for calling you Shadow. I don't want to make that mistake again. So is your name really Chat Noir?"

"Yep! It's the only name I've ever had. It's purr-fect, don't you think?" Chat Noir did an eyebrow wiggle to accompany his pun. He wanted to make Marinette laugh again. It was oddly pleasing on his ears.

"And you're a joker? Wonderful..." Marinette rolled her eyes. " _He's an unique character to say the least. It'll be hard to put up with this all the time. Not to mention, there's not anywhere to keep him now that he's human. He can't sleep on the bed and he probably eats more food in this form. And if my parents find out I'm hiding a cat boy, they'll flip!"_

"There's one last thing I have to tell you two!" Chat Noir and Marinette turned to Tikki. She was so small and quiet that her words were easily ignored. "We have a problem. Chat Noir is human for now, but like I said earlier, he'll eventually turn back into a cat."

"What?" Chat Noir exclaimed. "Aw man, I was justing getting used to looking like this! Having thumbs is claw-some! You can pick stuff up and hold cute girls' hands." He grabbed Marinette's hand and gave it a delicate kiss. "See?" he smirked.

She frowned and flicked him hard on the forehead. He recoiled in pain, giving her a pouty face. "Not the time," Marinette muttered.

"Anyways, Chat Noir should be able to maintain his human form as long as he doesn't use his miraculous spell. If he does detransform, he can hopefully regain energy by eating and sleeping like a kwami. Then he should be able to transform back!" Tikki tried to look hopeful, but she wasn't sure if her words rang true. She had never seen a situation like this. There were no guarantees.

"Let's test it out then." Chat Noir stood up and cracked his knuckles. "We won't know unless we try. Just give me the magic words! But I want a good meal after this. Got any camembert cheese?"

" _Cheese?"_ Marinette gagged in disgust. " _Gross. Can cats even eat cheese?"_

Tikki's eyes narrowed at Chat's meal request. She knew someone else with a similar food addiction and the similarities couldn't be a coincidence. The more she learned about this new Chat Noir, the less things made sense. She didn't feel the same energy from him as she did Marinette. Marinette's aura was distinctly human even as Ladybug. Chat Noir, however, gave a much different reading. There was some cat, some human, and most importantly, some kwami. He was a mishmash of three things that shouldn't have been mixed.

"Tikki?" Marinette asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yes... I'm fine. I just got a little distracted. Back to Chat Noir! You can harness the power of destruction with your magic spell. All you have to do is yell 'Cataclysm' and the spell will activate. But you must be careful when you use it. It'll destroy anything it touches."

Tikki scanned the room for something of low value. She spotted a small piece of blue fabric lying on Marinette's desk. "This should be fine!" she announced as she flew over and grabbed the fabric. Chat Noir opened his paws and Tikki dropped the piece of fabric. "Make sure you only touch this," she instructed. "We don't want to ruin Marinette's bedroom!"

"Okay..." Chat Noir said. "Here I go... Cataclysm!"

A sudden black glow formed around his paws. Chat Noir admired his hand in both fear and interest. He looked at the fabric in his other paw and touched his glowing hand to it. Instantly, the fabric faded into a dark brown color and began to crumble into dust. The glowing disappeared and the fabric was only a pile of debris on the floor.

"That...was... so cool!" Chat Noir shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Can I do that again? Give me something bigger!"

"I'm afraid you can only use it once," Tikki laughed. "And let's keep the destruction to a minimum. You should only use that spell when fighting an akuma. The same goes for Ladybug's Lucky Charm. You only get one chance to use that magic, so use it wisely."

 _Beep!_

"What was that?" Chat Noir's tail stood up straight at the noise. His ears wiggled, trying to find its source. With all his attentive cat senses, he failed to notice the flashing on his ring.

"That's your miraculous, right?" Marinette interjected. "Once you use Cataclysm, you have five minutes before you return to normal. It's the same for me. That's why you have to be extra careful when using that spell!"

"Marinette's right!" Tikki nodded. "You don't want to turn into a cat in the middle of a fight. I'm sure you can handle it though. Marinette has done a very good job. You can learn from her. She's come a long way in a day."

"Thanks. While we're waiting for his clock to tick down, I'll go grab us something to eat. We missed breakfast due to all the chaos. I think we might have some cheese." Chat Noir's face lit up. "Tikki, you want to come with? I'll let you pick out some cookies."

"Count me in!"

Tikki flew over to Marinette and hid in her sleeve. Before heading downstairs, Marinette turned to Chat Noir and said, "Stay here, okay? You definitely can't get caught by my parents." Chat Noir nodded like a good kitty. "I'll be back in a minute," Marinette laughed, shutting the trapdoor.

She and Tikki walked down to the bakery storefront where dozens of people were running in and out. Marinette grabbed an empty tin and then walked over to the display where her father was working. "What's going on?" Marinette asked as she filled the tin with cookies. "Doesn't the breakfast rush usually end an hour ago?"

"It seems like something happened downtown that messed up people's schedules," Tom said. "Customers were coming in telling me that they saw a giant monster made of stone. Apparently, he destroyed an entire block of the city. Then, two magicians appeared out of nowhere and stopped the beast. I heard one looked like a cat and the other like a ladybug."

"What?" Marinette exclaimed, trying to look shocked. "How is that possible? There aren't any magicians living around here anymore."

"That's what I said. I think it's just some prank some kids came up with. Now they've sent the whole neighborhood into a panic. Until I see proof, I won't believe such nonsense. There's only a handful of magicians left in this kingdom and I can bet they wouldn't waste their time saving other people. They're all greedy, corrupt bas-"

"Calm down, Papa. I bet you're right. There's nothing to worry about. The whole thing sounds like a joke. What kind of magician would dress up like a ladybug?" Marinette patted her father on the shoulder to reassure him. "By the way," she added. "Do we have any cheese?"

"Cheese? Check the back. Third shelf on the right."

"Thank you!"

Marinette sprinted to the back before her father could ask her why she needed cheese. Since the area was clear, Tikki came out of hiding. "Guess word of Chat and I is starting to spread?" Marinette chuckled nervously. "Hopefully that doesn't mean more trouble in the future. I don't think I can handle an akuma and a crowd."

She got on to her toes and looked into the shelf. To her surprise, there was camembert and a lot of it too. " _Why do we have this? "I don't think anyone in my family even likes cheese that much. We certainly don't use it in any of our pastries. Maybe it was a present? Whoever gave that to us has bad taste."_ She grabbed the cheese and almost fell backwards at the smell. " _It smells rancid too! If Chat actually eats this stuff, he's going to have to stay as far from me as possible. Yuck!"_

"Marinette! Someone's coming!" Tikki whispered, quickly retreating back into Marinette's sleeve. Marinette slammed the lid on the tin shut and turned around to escape when she ran straight into her mother.

"Maman!" Marinette shouted after nearly knocking Sabine to the floor. "I didn't see you there. You snuck up on me!"

"Sorry dear. I was in a bit of a rush." Sabine did look flustered. Her cheeks were pink and she was out of breath. "Have you heard the news? Your father says it's ridiculous, but I'm not so sure. I've heard of stranger things. It's good to know there's someone fighting on the public's side though. It puts my heart at ease."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about those two heroes. People have lost faith in magicians these days, so I'm glad to see there are still some out there trying to do a good job. I'll give them my full support!"

"Thanks?"

"What did you say?"

"Huh? Nothing!" Marinette answered, taking a step around her mother. "Y-you should... um... help Papa! There's a lot of customers right now and he seems overwhelmed! I'm going back upstairs! See ya!" Marinette rushed back towards the stairs, leaving her mother bewildered.

Meanwhile. Chat Noir was still sitting on Marinette's bed, watching his ring count down. " _Less than a minute,"_ he thought as he watched the last piece of the paw print begin to flicker. " _Hopefully Marinette will bring that food soon. I don't think I've ever been so hungry!"_

All of a sudden, there was a green flash and the world around Chat Noir began to warp. He shook his head and opened his eyes to find that everything looked much larger than before. He looked down and saw cat paws instead of human feet. He didn't have fingers anymore and when he tried to speak, all that came out was a meager "meow".

" _That was short lived,"_ Chat Noir sighed. " _Now I really have no choice but to sit here and wait. Being human was way more convenient. For it only being my second time, I think I did a damn good job. Hands aren't that hard to use and my French is pretty great."_

" _Oh... I completely forgot! I didn't tell Tikki or Marinette the entire truth. They think that I really am a normal cat, but that wasn't the first time I've been human before. Should I tell them? They haven't answered any of my questions yet. Neither one of them recognized my human form and Tikki seems to think my entire existence is an anomaly. They both seemed stressed enough. I don't want to overwhelm them. The whole thing sounds too absurd to even be true."_

" _But I have this feeling I'm definitely connected to this miraculous thing! It can't be a coincidence that I have it, right? Tikki's friend, Plagg, might have the answers. She said he's in charge of my miraculous. We just have to find him. And the person who created that akuma might know something too. I have to follow any lead I can get. I don't want to live my life not knowing anymore. I just want to know who I am!"_

"Chat! I'm back and I brought food!" Chat Noir's head perked up as Marinette entered the room. He wasn't sure if he was more excited to see her or food. He ran up to her and pawed on her leg, begging her to feed him. She looked down and laughed. "You turned back already! You really are just a cat!"

She opened the tin and set the cheese down on the floor for him. "You'd better eat that all," she smiled. "I don't want any of it left on my floor. It smells disgusting! How can you eat something like that?" Chat Noir bit into the cheese and was delighted by its gooey goodness. He didn't know why, but cheese satisfied a deep craving inside him.

"Now it's time for our breakfast!" Tikki smiled as she flew into the cookie tin. "Yippee!"

"Don't eat so fast, you two," Marinette advised, taking a seat on her bed. "You'll get a stomach ache and I won't play doctor if either of you get sick." Marinette laid down against her pillow while the others ate. " _And I'm getting a headache,"_ she thought. " _I've fought monsters, found out my pet cat can turn into a human, and had to touch stinky cheese. Today's been even more hectic than yesterday. I wish the world would just slow down for a moment. I need a break..."_

She let her eyes close. " _A little nap won't hurt..."_ All Marinette could hear was the sound of little creatures nibbling on their food. It was oddly peaceful. Marinette adjusted her position and pulled her blankets up. Now she was getting comfortable. A warm body jumped up next to her. It was Chat Noir who had finished eating.

" _Now that I know he's half human, I really shouldn't let him cuddle this close to me,"_ Marinette yawned. " _But I'll let it slide today. We're all tired and need a cat nap."_

"Marinette! Your friends are here!" Sabine called from downstairs, interrupting Marinette's short lived slumber. Marinette sat straight up with a scream. Chat Noir jumped in panic, on alert, and fell to the floor, ready to attack whatever was threatening Marinette. Tikki dropped her cookie and flew over to Marinette.

"What's wrong?"

Marinette gulped and buried her head in her hands. "We forgot about one important thing..." she muttered. "Alya."


	7. Chapter 7

"I was in such a hurry after the akuma attack that I completely forgot about her!" Marinette groaned. "She's going to kill me! Argh!"

"It'll be fine," Tikki giggled. "She's your best friend. She won't get mad over something little like this." Marinette rolled her eyes. Tikki didn't know Alya as well as she did. Alya could get totally mad about some things and not care about others. It was Marinette's own fault thought that she left Alya. She couldn't blame her friend for being upset.

Muffled sounds came from underneath the trapdoor. "She's right up there," Marinette heard her mother say. "I'm not sure why she hasn't come down already. You two can head on up though. I'm sure Marinette won't mind."

"Thank you, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." That was Alya's voice.

"Tikki! Hide!" Marinette quickly shouted. "They're coming!" Tikki searched the room for someplace to hide. The closet was still open from this morning, so she flew inside and shut the door tight. It was dark and kind of cramped with all the clothes, but it would have to do. Once Tikki was hidden, Marinette looked back at Chat Noir who had curled into a ball of the floor.

"I guess I don't need to worry about you when you look like that," she sighed. "Just don't transform and behave." Chat Noir nodded his head and laid back down. He didn't plan on moving from that spot. He was exhausted and even if Marinette didn't have time for a nap, he sure did.

The trapdoor sprung open and Alya entered the room with another boy at her heels. His glasses were pushed high up his nose and he looked tired which wasn't surprising. Spending a day with Alya could be pretty draining if you weren't used to it. The poor boy's name was Nino, Alya's long-time crush and Marinette's old friend.

"Girl, you won't believe what happened today!" Alya squealed as she gave Marinette a big hug. "Remember that rock monster we saw? Things got even crazier after that! These two magicians came out of nowhere and beat him to pieces-"

"She's been like this all morning," Nino sighed, rubbing his temples, as Alya rambled on. " I was in the middle of music lessons when she interrupted me and she won't stop talking about it. She's been calling it the story of the century. Could you talk some sense into her? The whole thing sounds impossible."

"Actually..." Marinette smiled weakly. "I saw it too. She's telling the truth."

Nino's eyes widened. Aya smirked and punched him in the shoulder. "See?" she teased. "I wasn't lying. There really was a giant rock monster! It was holding this girl in his hands and I thought he was going to crush her. Then, a girl dressed like a ladybug and a boy dressed like a cat appeared and fought him. It was the coolest thing! They had magic spells and everything! I wish I could've talked to them..."

"Woah! No way!" Nino protested, looking Alya in the eyes. "Magicians are dangerous. Don't get too close to them. I don't want you to get hurt. You have a knack for finding yourself in tight spots. Marinette and I or these so called heroes can't protect you all the time. Please be careful..."

Nino turned his gaze away to hide his blushing face. He and Alya had been friends for a while and he knew everything about her. For the past few months, he had a crush on her, but never had the guts to say anything. Alya was a headstrong girl, moving forward with her career and dreams. He was a boring musician that didn't have much to his name besides his instrument. The last thing Nino wanted to do was hold her back, so he kept his feelings a secret. A confession was drawing close, but he wasn't ready yet. In the meantime, Nino worried about her since she could be reckless. In fact, he probably worried too much.

"Nino's right," Marinette agreed with a nod of her head. "That monster was dangerous too! Its fist was three times the size of you. If anything happens like that again, please don't go running off."

"Okay, okay..." Alya smiled and pulled Marinette and Nino in for a group hug. "You two worry so much," she laughed. "I got up close with that monster and I'm still here to tell the tale. Do you really think something like that will happen again though? Think about all the potential stories!"

"ALYA!" Nino and Marinette both shouted. Alya put up her hands in defense. "I'll try and keep my nose out of it," she promised. "But if my publisher asks for more, I have to give it to him. There's a demand for these kinds of stories."

"Publisher? Did you sell your story already?" Marinette asked. Alya had been trying to get an article published for over an entire year. Printing papers was expensive, so publishers only wanted stories that were good. She tried her hardest, but always got rejected because her content wasn't exciting. Many publishers had praised her for her writing skills, however. All she needed to do was find a good story.

"I certainly did! It's called 'Stoneheart vs Ladybug and Chat Noir' and documents the entire fight. As soon as I finished writing, I sprinted to the nearest newspaper office so no one would cover the story first. They took it immediately and even paid me upfront for it. They even said that they'd let me write all the articles on Ladybug and Chat Noir if something like this happens again. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for!"

"Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Nino interjected. "You gave them names?"

"Those are their names for your information." Alya crossed her arms and had a know-it-all look on her face. "I heard them talking and that's what they called each other. It makes sense. The girl was dressed in red and black spots while the boy had cat ears and a tail. His costume was much more elaborate. I thought his ears and tail might actually be real."

" _You wouldn't be wrong about that,"_ Marinette thought. " _Alya's attention to detail is scary. I'll have to tread extra carefully whenever I'm around her."_

Nino laughed and saucily replied, "What kind of magician dresses up like a cat? You make these people sound like heroes, but they sound like weirdos to me. How do you even know they're the good guys? They could've made that monster and sent it into the city to play a sick game. It wouldn't be the first time something like that's happened. Magicians used to cause all kinds of chaos."

"I can tell. If you saw Ladybug, you'd know too. Someone evil couldn't have a smile that bright. She was simply incredible, Nino! She was so brave and confident! That monster could've crushed her, but she never backed down. The whole thing was unreal. She swung from buildings and sent that monster to its demise."

" _This flattery is getting out of hand."_ It was Marinette's turn to blush. " _Little does she know I spent a good five minutes hiding because I was so scared. I'm really not that amazing. Chat Noir did a lot of the hard work. He deserves more praise than me."_ She glanced back at Chat Noir who was fast asleep. " _...So maybe I take that back."_

"And do you want to know the strangest thing?" Alya asked. Nino rose an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Things already sounded pretty strange. He didn't know how they could get worse. Alya pulled Marinette and Nino close, whispering into their ears. "The monster dropped this piece of paper and when it ripped, this creepy butterfly came flying out. Ladybug caught the butterfly and when she did, the monster transformed into a normal person!"

"What?!" Nino took a step back. "That's freaky! Was he possessed?"

Alya shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know, but it was obvious that he had no idea what was going on. When he got angry, his entire mind went blank and he turned into a monster. He didn't have any recollection of how it happened. And the boy was Ivan from the butcher shop who you know is one of the sweetest kids in existence."

"Apparently not..."

"I think I have a theory on what happened. That butterfly is filled with evil power and attacks anyone who is angry or upset. It fills them will magic and turns them into a monster, allowing them to take vengeance. That means anyone could be a target!"

" _She's so close to the truth,"_ Marinette panicked. " _How was she able to figure that out so fast? Why does she have to be so smart? I won't be able to shake her off this trail. I should try and change the subject. Maybe she'll forget all about this, but that seems unlikely."_

"Um... Alya?" said Marinette when Alya let out a high-pitched squeal. She sprinted over to Chat Noir and ruffled his fur, giving him a rude awakening. He turned his head towards Marinette and gave her an irritated glare as if he was saying "please control your friend since I'm trying to take a nap". Marinette wanted to say something, but Alya looked like she was having too much fun petting him.

"Marinette, you forgot to introduce Nino to your new friend," Alya smiled, picking up Chat Noir in her arms. She cradled him like a baby and brought him over to Nino. "Isn't he such a cutie? I wish I could have a cat, but mom says she doesn't want another mouth to feed. I'll just have to shower this little guy with all my extra love instead." She ran her fingers through the fur on his head, patting down Chat Noir's ears.

"What's his name?' Nino asked, taking his turn at petting Chat. He hesitantly scratched the cat's belly and then quickly pulled away. Nino could tell Chat Noir was upset and he didn't want to be the victim of an angry cat. As a child, he had been scratched by the family cat often and he had no desire to relive those bad memories.

Marinette took Chat Noir from Alya's arms and set him back on the floor. He skulked back to his napping spot and sat down, making sure he couldn't see Alya. "His name's Chat Noir," Marinette said. "He's a little tired right now, so we should let him sleep."

"Chat Noir?" Alya frowned, thinking to herself. "Didn't you call him Shadow earlier?"

"I... I did! But then I thought about it a bit more and decided I liked Chat Noir better, so I changed his name. I think he likes Chat Noir better too. After today, he's named after one of Paris's heroes."

"You're so indecisive sometimes, Marinette. Hopefully Chat Noir can keep up with that and your clumsiness. You might want to put a collar on him in case something happens. I can imagine you two getting separated. The poor guy might never find his way home."

"I was planning to do that eventually. I've only had him for a day and things have been pretty busy with giant monsters, superheroes, and all that..."

"Will you have enough time to take care of him?" Nino asked. "Taking care of a cat is a big commitment and you always seem to be busy. I'm not doubting you, but for once, I'd take Alya's advice. Make sure you feed him enough and make sure it's the right type of food. Cat's have sensitive stomachs. You might also buy him some toys. He'll get bored easily cramped up in a small room like this."

"I'll do my best!" Marinette protested, feeling hurt by her friends' lack of faith. "He'll be treated like a king. I already know his favorite food and have made sure he has a place to sleep. I'll make him a collar tonight and go get some toys tomorrow. Does that make you both feel better?"

Alya and Nino nodded. " _Good..."_ Marinette sighed. " _They're more worried about Chat Noir than I am. He's got them wrapped around his paw without even trying."_

"Shouldn't you both be heading off?" Marinette asked, pushing Nino and Alya towards the exit. "I feel like I'm interrupting a date since the two of you came here together. Go enjoy yourselves!"

"A d-date!" Nino stammered, pulling down his hat to cover his face. "It's not like that. Alya just came over and asked to hang out. That's all..."

"But we could make it a date," Alya winked. She grabbed Nino's hand and opened the trapdoor. "It looks like we're going out," she laughed wildly. "Oh, one last thing though! Marinette, where did you disappear to when that monster attacked? I went back to look for you and you had vanished. You freaked me out."

"I had to chase after Chat Noir!" Marinette lied. "The noise scared him and he ran away. I went to go catch him and ended up going back home afterwards. I didn't want Chat Noir to get into any trouble! I'll have to be more careful taking him outside next time. And um... let me walk you guys out!"

Marinette pushed Nino and Alya along. They all walked downstairs to the bakery's front entrance where the customer flow had finally died down. Everything was nice and quiet which was how Marinette liked it.

"Have fun," Marinette waved as Nino and Alya walked out the door. Alya was clinging on to Nino's shoulder now and he looked ready to explode. He hadn't been been prepared for romance so early in the morning. As the couple left, Nino turned around and mouthed a quiet "thank you" to Marinette. She winked back and smiled. Without her, Nino could hardly dream of going on a date with Alya, let alone asking her out on one.

Once the future lovebirds were gone, Marinette walked back upstairs. " _Thank goodness they left,"_ she thought, feeling drained. " _I'll have to talk to Tikki about what to do with Alya. It'll be hard to keep secrets from her and keep her hands off Chat Noir. Everytime she comes over, I'll have to hide him otherwise she'll hug him to death!"_

Marinette went back in her bedroom and plopped down on her bed. She closed her eyes and thought " _Finally I can relax..."_

"Thanks for not helping me out back there!" a loud voice shouted in Marinette's face. She opened her eyes and saw Chat Noir, in human form, hovering over her. His arms were crossed and he didn't look please. From this angle, Marinette noticed that he had sharp fangs instead of normal teeth. She made a mental note never to get too close to his mouth.

"You transformed back already?" Marinette asked, sitting up. She leaned against her wall, trying to stay upright and awake.

"Obviously! It was way easier the second time. All I had to do was want to be human and BAM, I was. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Sure... Chat, can you please let me-"

"And what about this collar thing? Usually I wouldn't be a fan, but if you made it for me, I don't think I'd mind. Can you make it black? And with a bell? Kinda like this?" He pointed at the bell hanging from his neck. It, like the miraculous, came with being in human form. Chat didn't know why, but he liked it. It was fun to play with.

"Whatever you want," Marinette replied, her eyelids drooping. "You have a lot of energy now. I'm glad you got some sleep."

"Not as much as I wanted thanks to that friend of yours. Hasn't she ever heard of 'no touching'? Cats have personal space too. In fact, it's probably bigger than most humans. I liked your other friend though. He knows how to read the mood."

"Sounds great. Now it's my turn to take a nap. Give me an hour to rest and please let Tikki out of the closet. She's been in there for a while now." Marinette laid back down and turned her back to the wall so no one could wake her up again.

Chat Noir frowned, upset that Marinette was ignoring him. For some reason, he wanted her attention. He didn't want to play with her necessarily, but just wanted her awake and talking to him. For the past year, he had survived alone and been fine. Now that he had been spoiled with company, being alone made him nervous. A small part of him worried that he might end up alone again.

Marinette were beginning to show him that life wasn't as bad as it seemed. Never in his entire life (or at least the part he remembered) had anyone reached out to help him. People saw a helpless cat on the streets and walked on by, but Marinette was different. They had only know each other for a few days, but she gave him more than he could ever want. She fed him and gave him a place to sleep, but more importantly, she gave him her friendship.

Through a strange twist of events, they were partners now. She was Ladybug and he was Chat Noir. They were two halfs of a whole. Their differences separated them. She was human and he was a cat. She was good luck and he was bad. But a bond of trust was starting to form between them which warmed Chat Noir's heart. He had never been able to trust anyone before.

Chat Noir sat down beside Marinette's bed, pouting. He wanted to do something, but Marinette had already fallen fast asleep. He looked up at her sleeping face and smiled. She was adorable when sleeping. Quietly, he grabbed her hand with his paw and held it. Her hand was soft. A faint blush emerged across Chat's face as he refused to let go.

" _She's cute when she's asleep,"_ he thought, his tail swinging back and forth across the floor. " _To be able to touch her with human hands, it's... nice."_ A warm feeling spread through Chat Noir's body. He coughed and let go of Marinette's hand. " _What was that?"_ he thought, trying to calm himself down. " _That was weird. Is that something that happens to humans?"_

He wanted to explore that strange feeling again when he heard banging coming from the closet. Remembering that Tikki was still locked inside, he walked over and opened it up. Tikki came flying out, gasping for air. "Finally!" she panted. "It was so stale and hot in their. I thought I was going to die! Where's Marinette?"

Tikki leaned over and saw Marinette sleep. "Oops!" she said in a hushed tone. "She's asleep. I'll keep my voice down. I might go take a nap too! Fighting akuma is hard work!" Tikki began to fly over to the bed when Chat Noir plucked her out of the air.

"W-wait!" he stammered, trying to hold Tikki without crushing her in his paws. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Tikki blinked, confused. "Sure! What do you want to talk about? Should we wake up Marinette?"

"No! Um... no. I wouldn't want to bother her, but I have a question about humans..."

"I'm not human, but I'll do my best!"

"When humans touch each other, do they feel warm inside? Like a tingly feeling?"

Tikki's eyes widened. "Not normally," she answered with a smile. "Humans only feel that with certain people and only when they care about them a lot. It sounds like you might have a crush!"

"A crush? What do you mean?"

"That's something you have to discover on your own," Tikki giggled. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." She flew over and sat next to Marinette, closing her eyes. Before Chat Noir could object, she had also fallen asleep.

" _A crush?"_ Chat Noir repeated. " _Can friends have that? Marinette and I are friends, right? Well, we're more like partners..."_ He hovered over Marinette and watched her sleep. He began to blush again and covered his face with his paws. " _What's wrong with me? Ever since I saw her fight that monster, my body's been feeling funny. I don't understand..."_

He sat back down beside the bed and bit the inside of his cheek. " _Human bodies sure are strange, but I like this more than being a cat. It's nice to be able to speak. I'm also taller than Marinette like this."_ Chat Noir stifled a laugh. " _I'm certainly a lucky cat."_ Chat Noir closed his eyes and although he wasn't tired, he found himself falling asleep by his lady's side.

After about two hours of sleeping soundly, Marinette was woken up by Chat Noir's unusually loud snoring. She peered over her bed and saw her kitty, fast asleep. " _I knew cats slept a lot, but I didn't think they snored,"_ she giggled. " _I should wake him up. We have things to do."_

"Chat Noir," she whispered as she tapped his shoulder. "Chat Noir... wake up." His eyes slowly fluttered open and he looked around the room groggily. He saw Marinette above him and his body went into sudden shock. His face heated up and his paws became clammy. She was too close to his face.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Marinette laughed, sitting up. "Glad to see you're awake. We have to make you that collar. I don't want Alya and Nino to think I'm a bad pet owner. I'll never hear the end of it!"

Marinette stood up and walked over to her desk, her sudden movements stirring Tikki awake. She sat down and rummaged through various drawers for all the materials she was going to need. " _I know I have extra black leather,"_ Marinette frowned, struggling to find it. " _Where could it be? I should also have a small bell leftover from the holidays. I wish I was more organized. This is a mess!"_

While Marinette was searching for materials, Chat Noir wandered over and pulled up a chair beside her. "Why do you have all these things?" he asked as Marinette threw excess junk on top of the desk. She had fabric of all the colors of the rainbow, buttons, bows, thread, and lace. There were scissors, needles, push pins and things Chat Noir had never seen before lying beside all that.

"I need them for my designs," Marinette explained as she pulled the black leather from the bottom of the drawer. "You never know what you might need, so I have everything on hand. It's my dream to be the best seamstress in Paris, so I have to practice. I want to open a shop and everything, so I have to keep working hard!"

"Your dream? You have a dream?" Chat Noir repeated. The confusion in his voice baffled Marinette. It sounded like he didn't understand the word.

"Of course I do! I can't imagine living without pursuing the thing I love. Doesn't everybody have some kind of dream?"

"Cats don't... It's so hard trying to survive that there isn't much time to dream. Cats can't really do anything either." Chat Noir's face turned sullen. " _What is like to have a dream?"_ he wondered. " _Marinette looks so happy talking about hers. I hope her dream comes true..."_

"Let's make a deal," Marinette smiled, taking Chat Noir's paws in her hands. "If we can stop this bad guy from destroying Paris, I'll let you in on my dream. You can work at my shop if you'd like. We can dream together until you have one of your own. How's that sound?"

"O-okay..."

"Good!" Marinette opened another drawer and pulled out a small, golden bell. "I have everything to make your collar, so you'll have to turn back into a cat. I don't think your human proportions are going to be much help."

There was a green flash of light and Chat Noir turned back into a cat. Marinette pulled out a measuring tape and wrapped around his neck. "Don't flinch," she advised. "I need these measurements to be perfect. I don't want the collar to hurt your neck." She wrote down the measurements and then got to work.

It wasn't a hard project. Marinette cut the leather to the circumference of Chat's neck and attached a clasp to it. In the center, she sewed on the bell, giving it a flick to make sure it sounded good. She was done in ten minutes and held the finished collar up to Chat Noir.

"What do you think?" she smiled. "It's not much, but it'll do. Consider it a present. Welcome to the family, Chat Noir." Marinette put the collar around his neck and clasped it shut. Chat Noir patted the bell with his paw, amused by its ringing. If he could smile as a cat, he would be beaming. It was the first present he had ever received and he loved it with all this heart. So much so, that he had to tell Marinette with his own words.

There was another green flash and Chat returned to being human. He noticed in his human form, the collar disappeared. That was probably for the best. It wouldn't have fit around his neck and he didn't want to ruin it.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "No one's ever given me a purr-esent before."

"I'm sure there will be many more to come," Marinette grinned. "I'm known for giving amazing gifts. Just wait until the holidays!" The fact that Marinette had already thought ahead to the holidays warmed Chat Noir's heart. She didn't plan to get rid of him. She thought they were going to stay together forever. He felt the same. He never wanted to leave her side.

Marinette stood up and said, "Now that we've finished that, I'm going to head downstairs and see if Maman and Papa need help. You can stay up here and keep Tikki company. I should be back in a bit." She disappeared downstairs.

Chat Noir watched her figure disappear and thought, " _I think I'm beginning to understand what a crush is..."_


	8. Chapter 8

In a small room hidden out of sight, there stood a man, cursing himself. He had cold eyes and pale skin, making him seem ghostly and frail. His grip on his cane was tight. He needed it to get around now since his body was growing older from age and sorrows. Clasped onto his shirt was a brooch shaped like a butterfly. It was his most prized possession. It was the only thing that gave him hope anymore.

In his other hand was a newspaper. On the front page was an illustration of two heroes that had saved Paris from destruction the day prior. The article was written by a teenage girl and was the talk of the city. Rumors of these new magicians escaped no one's ears including the man's. Each mention of their names made his blood boil. He ripped up the newspaper and let the pieces flutter to the ground.

"Damn them!" the man shouted, slamming his cane against the floor. "I didn't think they'd be so powerful already. I need those miraculouses now!" He hobbled towards the room's lone window and pushed the shutters open. Light flooded in, revealing that man wasn't completely alone.

The room was filled with hundreds of white butterflies. The light reflected off their wings, giving the room an unusual glow. The man leaned on the windowsill and looked at the city in the distance. "I won't give up," he growled. "Ladybug, your miraculous will be mine. And I will have my revenge on that feral black cat. Just wait..."

It was another normal day at the bakery. Marinette had been asked to work the front counter while her father baked in the back. Chat Noir hid up in her bedroom, playing with whatever he could find. Marinette had given him permission to leave the house and explore if he promised not to get into trouble. But he never took her up on this offer. He had no desire to leave her presence.

Chat Noir was starting to learn more about Marinette. He discovered her favorite color was pink and she loved sweets. She was homeschooled growing up, but now attended supplementary lessons. Despite her not having what most would consider a proper education, Chat Noir thought she was extremely intelligent. She showed him her vast collection of books. Clearly, she was well-educated on all subjects.

The more she told him, the guiltier he felt about telling her nothing. Chat Noir didn't have much to tell. He didn't have a family or any friends. All his stories about life in the alleys were morbid and depressing. He didn't have anything he particularly liked aside from camembert. There was really nothing he could offer her aside from the one truth he kept a secret.

" _I should tell her,"_ he sighed as he rolled a ball of yarn back and forth with his paws. " _There's no reason to keep it a secret and Marinette might be able to help me. I don't know why I'm so hesitant. It's not like she'd be upset or anything..."_

Chat Noir felt a certain uneasiness about the whole thing. He always worried that the men from before would come back and find him. As a cat, he hadn't thought much of it. There were hundreds of black cats in Paris and they couldn't search each one. But now that he spent time in his human form, the search wouldn't be as hard. If anyone saw him, he could be in danger. Worse, he could put Marinette in danger.

Transforming into his human form, he opened the trapdoor to balcony and went outside, greeted by the fresh air. Outside were various plants that Marinette was trying to take care of. She normally forgot to water them, so Chat Noir did it in her stead. He picked up the watering can and began to water a lily that was just beginning to bloom. It's unconditional beauty reminded him of Marinette.

" _I can't get her out of my head..."_ Chat Noir sighed dreamily, letting the water spill over the pot. " _This was what Tikki was talking about before. A crush... Ever since she appeared as Ladybug, she's taken my heart and hasn't let go. Do humans normally fall in love this easily? I wonder if Marinette has someone she loves..."_

Chat Noir paused. He never stopped to think about it. Marinette only seemed to talk to Nino and Alya, but Nino wasn't a threat since he clearly love Alya. She didn't talk about anyone else and she told him everything. Chat Noir felt a little calmer. He didn't want to have any competition. It would already be difficult to win Marinette's affections. He was a cat and he knew she probably wouldn't be interested. He would have to be content with loving her from afar.

After noticing that he had flooded one of Marinette's poor plants, Chat Noir moved on to another. He hummed to himself while watering, his tail swaying along to the tune. He didn't mind chores like this. They made him feel important. He wanted to contribute to the household as much as he could. He didn't want to be a freeloader.

All of a sudden, a huge shadow blocked the sun from overhead. Chat Noir dropped the watering can, spilling water all over the balcony. He looked up and saw a giant flock of pigeons painting the sky. There had to be at least a thousand of them. They were flying in unison in the same direction. A feather floated down and brushed past Chat's nose. He let out a loud sneeze, nearly falling over. He rubbed his nose with a frown. Something wasn't right.

He sprinted back into Marinette's room and planned to rush down to the bakery. He was in the middle of opening the back door when he remembered he was still in human form. " _Almost forgot!"_ he thought. " _I can't go downstairs like this. I'd better change back."_ With a green glow of light, Chat Noir returned to his cat form and ran down the stairs as fast as his tiny cat legs could take him.

He wandered into the bakery and saw Marinette working at the counter. She was helping a customer count change. Hopefully, she wouldn't be upset if he bothered her. Chat Noir trotted up and pawed at her dress, meowing to get her attention. She glanced down at him, confused.

"Not now," she whispered. "I'm working." She returned to the customer and wished her a nice day. Marinette didn't have time to play around with Chat Noir. She was working and needed to a good job. Her parents had been watching her closely to make sure she was properly fulfilling her duties. Marinette knew Chat got lonely easily, but she couldn't obey his every need.

Chat Noir pawed at her again, this time being more aggressive. " _Come on!"_ he thought. " _Figure it out! I wish I could tell her in words, but I can't be a human here! This is so frustrating!"_ Marinette continued to ignore him, so he resorted to desperate measures. He would be as annoying as possible.

He walked in circles, bobbing his head to make his bell ring. The bakery was filled with the sound, drawing the eyes of many confused customers. Marinette gave him an angry glare and scooped him up with her arms. "Papa!" she called to the back. "Can you take the register for a moment? I need to let Chat Noir out."

Marinette carried him towards the back door where no one could see them. She put him on the ground and crossed her arms. "What's so important?" she sighed. "You know you aren't suppose to bother me when I'm working."

There was a green flash and Chat Noir turned into a human. "Sorry, princess," he apologized, bowing his head. "But this is an emergency. Come outside with me." He pulled her out the door and pointed at the sky. Marinette looked up in awe at the giant flock of pigeons. They were headed in the same direction which meant they were headed to the same place.

"This can't be normal," Marinette shouted, clenching her fists. "This has to be the work of an akuma. Tikki, are you ready?" Tikki poked her head out of Marinette's pockets and nodded. "Okay then. Spots on!"

With a pink swirl of light, she transformed into Ladybug, ready for action. She pulled out her yo-yo and pointed at Chat Noir's baton. "We need to follow those birds," she explained. "They must be heading towards the akuma. Get ready to fly!" She threw her yo-yo up towards the roof, hoisting herself. Chat Noir followed suit with his baton.

"What kind of monster uses pigeons to do his bidding?" Ladybug asked as she followed the group of birds. It was eerie the way their wings all flapped in unison. Their eyes were glazed over and not a single one made a noise aside from the sound of their wings. It shouldn't have been scary, but it was downright terrifying. Ladybug never thought she'd ever say she was scared of a bird.

"One that can't do his own work," Chat Noir snorted. "You could say he's a... chicken." He laughed to himself while Ladybug just rolled her eyes. She noticed that Chat Noir had a knack for bad puns and she didn't appreciate. That kind of humor was usually lost on her.

She was shocked from her thoughts by a loud sneeze from Chat Noir. "Achoo!" he sneezed, nearly letting go of his baton and tumbling to the ground. He rubbed his irritated nose and frowned. Ladybug noticed his eyes were getting red and puffy.

"Are you allergic to birds?" she giggled, rubbing up beside Chat Noir. Finding great satisfaction in his misfortune, she smiled and said, "I thoughts cats were supposed to eat birds."

"Not this cat, my lady," Chat Noir coughed. "I didn't know I was allergic to birds. I've never gotten close to one before though. Just my luck..." He was about to let out another loud sneeze when Ladybug stuck her finger under his nose, stopping it.

"You're welcome," she laughed, giving his nose an extra tickle. He was so stunned that he couldn't say anything before Ladybug lept away to another building. He followed her in hot pursuit. Though she didn't seem like it at first, Ladybug could be the flirty type and wasn't ashamed of it.

Chat Noir chased after her and yelled, "Don't think you can get away with-"

"Shh!" Ladybug hushed, signaling for him to keep quiet. She pointed ahead at a large building covered in pigeons. She recognized the building. It was normally used to hold city wide events, so it was huge and mostly empty. A place like that was the perfect bad guy hideout, but unfortunately, a bad place for her and Chat Noir to hide. Pigeons sat at the front entrance, looking prepared to attack. If they managed to sneak inside the buildings, they would definitely be caught. There was no place to sneak around.

She hid on the other side of a chimney and pulled Chat Noir close. Their proximity put him on edge. "We need to find a way to get in there," Ladybug whispered. "Those pigeons will peck us to death if they get the chance, so we can't go through the front. There has to be another way."

Suddenly, an idea came to mind. She gave Chat Noir a clever smile. "Oh no!" he stammered, shaking his head. "I'm not going to be birdseed. If we go in, we're going in together."

"I'm offended you think I would do that to you," Ladybug gasped, pretending to be shocked. "I had another plan, but I might like yours better."

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding. We'll stick with my plan. We're not the only ones who can mount an aerial attack. The pigeons only seem to be guarding the front, so we just won't go in that way. See that skylight on the roof?" She pointed up at panes of glass that formed to make a pyramid on the roof. An interesting architectural choice, but it would suit her purpose well.

Chat Noir nodded warily. "Those should swing right open," Ladybug explained. "If we head around the back of the building, we can avoid the pigeons. And we can get direct access to the center of the building through the skylight. The akuma has to be in there, so we'll stage an ambush. We have to be stealthy though. Keep quiet."

"My lady, I'm a cat. We're known for being stealthy."

"Let's see how long that lasts. We both know you're a bit of a chatterbox."

Ladybug took off on an alternate route, heading behind the building, while Chat Noir sat for a minute, flabbergasted. " _Was that an insult?"_ he frowned. " _Someone sure is sassy today. Good thing I don't mind."_ He extended his baton and chased after her.

The duo took a wide curve around the building, making sure they were completely out of the pigeons' sight. The entire area was void of people. Everyone had hide inside after seeing the massive flock of birds. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to be extra quiet or they would attract unwanted attention. They managed to make their way to the back and found it, thankfully, abandoned. All the pigeons seemed to be stationed in the front.

"Let's head up," Ladybug whispered, slowly pulling herself to the roof with her yo-yo. Chat Noir followed and soon they were on the building's roof. The roof was large with the skylight in the middle. Chimneys and other ventilation shafts offered multiple hiding spots to avoid the gazes of their feathered foes. So far, so good.

They tiptoed towards the skylight and pressed their faces against the glass window, hoping to see something. Inside, there was a man dressed in a strange, tight-fitting outfit. He was surrounded by pigeons and seemed to be talking to them. He didn't look capable of much evil. Certainly not like Stoneheart. This akuma was much less menacing and more... pathetic.

"That's him?" Chat Noir asked, pointing down at the man. " _That's disappointing,"_ he thought. " _I was starting to get excited about kicking another giant monster's butt, not some birdbrain. The person creating these akuma must be trying out all options. I'm gonna say this one's a fail."_

Ladybug nodded while she took out the screws that held one of the glass panes in place. She slowly opened it. The gap was wide enough for her and Chat Noir to move in at once. " _Perfect..."_ she grinned, gripping her yo-yo as she prepared for action.

"We're going in," Ladybug directed. "On my count. 1...2..."

"ACHOO!"

Chat Noir let out a ginormous sneeze and fell over, accidentally dragging Ladybug down with him. They fell over the opening in the skylight and plummeted toward the ground. Amidst the chaos, Ladybug managed to grab her yo-yo and hook it on to one of the metal beams that supported the building's roof. She grabbed Chat Noir and the two of them dangled from the ceiling like sitting ducks.

"So much for being stealthy," she huffed.

"Sorry," Chat Noir shrugged. "Allergies."

"So you've finally arrived!" a shrill voice called from down belong. The akuma had stood up and was walking towards them. He clapped his hands sarcastically though it didn't do much for his image. Getting a closer look at him, it was obvious he was utterly ridiculous.

His face was long and angular. His attire was pigeon themed and around his neck a wooden, bird whistle. " _What a weirdo..."_ Ladybug thought, not feeling any bit of fear like she did before. " _Who could be that obsessed with birds?"_

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ladybug and Chat Noir," the akuma laughed. Even his laugh was disappointing. "Hawk Moth told me you would be coming."

Ladybug and Chat Noir dropped to the floor and poised themselves in fighting position, but neither moved. The akuma was offering valuable information. If they fought him now, they might lose their chance on learning more about the wielder of the butterfly miraculous.

"Who's Hawk Moth?" Ladybug asked, making her fists visible just in case.

"Did he not introduce himself? ROO! ROO! How ROO-de of him. Consider him my associate. He's held up his end of the deal, so I must hold up mine. Give me your miraculouses or face the wrath of Mr. Pigeon!"

" _Hawk Moth must be the person behind these akumas!"_ Ladybug thought. " _And he wants our miraculouses, but why? There's no way Chat Noir and I will give them up!"_

"I'm afraid we can't oblige," Ladybug bowed, giving Mr. Pigeon a brash smile. "They belong to us and nobody else, not even the pigeons." Chat Noir nodded in agreement.

Mr. Pigeon frowned and shook his head. "That's too bad. I'm afraid things are going to have to get a little messy. My pigeons, now!"

All of a sudden, a large group of birds swarmed in through the windows. Ladybug and Chat Noir moved, back to back, ready to attack. Neither knew what to do though. They couldn't take out each pigeon one by one. The sheer number of birds was overwhelming. Not to mention, Chat Noir couldn't stop sneezing.

 _CLANG!_

A metal cage fell on top of the heroes, trapping them inside. "Where did this come from?" Ladybug shouted, banging against the bars. "This... this is impossible!"

"The birds must have brought it!" Chat Noir sneered. He whacked the bars with his baton, but it barely even left a dent. The cage was solid and sturdy. No amount of banging would free them.

"That was easier than I thought," Mr. Pigeon cooed. "I heard you two were great magicians, but it appears that information was false. I'll ask nicely one more time. Give me your miraculouses."

"Never!" Ladybug shouted back, covering her ears with her hands. She wouldn't give these up for anything. Tikki trusted her with them and she wouldn't betray that trust. She was positive Chat Noir felt the same way.

"Have it your way then, but you'll face the consequences. Ready fire!"

A circle of pigeons formed around the cage and raised their tail feathers in the air. "I don't like where this is going," Chat Noir whimpered. He held his baton up as a meager shield and braced himself for impact. Ladybug prepared for the same when a sudden thought crossed her mind.

"Chat Noir! Use your cataclysm on the bars!"

"Huh? Oh! Good idea, LB!" Chat Noir clenched his fists and yelled, "Cataclysm!" A black glow emitted from his paws. He quickly dragged his paw across the bars, watching each one crumble to dust as his fingers slid past. A large hole opened from where the bars had decayed. He confidently stepped out, offering his hand to Ladybug. She graciously took it and left the cage. Once they were out, they gave Mr. Pigeon angry glares.

"Nice try!" Ladybug smirked. "Let's see how you like it when the tables are turned. Lucky Charm!"

A red and black spotted bag fell from the sky and landed in her hands. " _What's this?"_ she thought, opening the bag. The aroma of corn filled the air. " _Corn? I'm feeling a little peckish, but now isn't the time. What am I supposed to do with this?"_

As Ladybug tried to think, Chat Noir stood in front of her, trying to hold off the pigeons in between sneezes. They would lunge at him, but he knocked them away with his baton. Too bad that for each pigeon down, two more filled its place. The barrage was endless and he couldn't hold them off for long. Ladybug need a plan ASAP.

" _Think, Marinette, think!"_ Ladybug chanted, beating her hand against her hand. " _There has to be something I can do with this! I have to get that weird bird whistle away from him. The akuma must be in there, but it's on his neck! I can't even get close like this!"_ She looked up at Mr. Pigeon who was standing, arms crossed, behind a wall of pigeons. He sent his pigeons to do his bidding and sat back to relax. If he were suddenly attacked, there's no way he'd be prepared...

"That's it!" Ladybug shouted, throwing her yo-yo to the ceiling. It hooked around a metal beam and pulled her up. Chat Noir watched her in awe, but continued to fight off the pigeons. He had no idea what she was planning, but like before, he'd trust her.

Ladybug ran along the metal beams until she was directly over Mr. Pigeon. The akuma looked up at her and pointed mockingly, "Running won't get you anywhere. A pigeon's first home is the sky!" He blew into his whistle and the pigeons abandoned Chat Noir and charged straight at Ladybug.

"NO!" Chat Noir screamed, helpless and unable to do anything. Ladybug was too far out of reach. He couldn't do anything to stop the pigeons. His ring let out a beep, a grim reminder that he didn't have much time left to help either.

Instead of looking scared, Ladybug smirked and turned the bag of corn upside down, shaking out its contents onto Mr. Pigeon. "Oops," she giggled, covering her mouth. "What a mess I've made!"

The pigeons diverted course and headed towards Mr. Pigeon for their next meal. Pigeons covered his entire body, pecking at him for a bite of corn. His muffled cries were drowned out against the sound of flapping wings. Even he, master of pigeons, was no match for food.

Ladybug jumped down and approached the mass of pigeons. Chat Noir ran up beside her and grabbed her hand. "Are you okay?" he asked nervously. "None of them hurt you, right?"

"I'm fine, Chat. You're so overprotective. You're my pet. I should be protective of you, not the other way around," Ladybug smiled, ruffling his hair. "Now let's get rid of this oversized pigeon. I think I've had enough birds for today."

She pushed aside some of the pigeons and yanked the bird whistle off Mr. Pigeons neck. With a hard toss, she threw it at the ground and stepped on it, shattering it into pieces. A black butterfly emerged and was quickly caught by Ladybug's yo-yo.

"Not so fast," she scolded the insect. "No more evildoing for you, little akuma." The butterfly flew out of its captivity with pure, white wings and flew out a nearby window. Then, Ladybug threw the empty corn bag into the air and watched it dissolve into red light, returning all to normal. The pigeons disappeared and a confused man lay in Mr. Pigeon's place.

"Where am I?" the man asked, holding his head. "The last thing I remember is being yelled at for feeding the pigeons and the rest is a blur."

"Don't worry," Ladybug smiled. "Everything's okay now. There's nothing to worry about, but you should go home and get some sleep."

"You're that magician from the papers, aren't you?"

"That's a secret." She held her finger to her lips and winked. The man fell back on his knees in awe.

A beep came from both Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses. "That's our cue to leave," Chat Noir said, putting his hand on Ladybug's shoulder. "We need to go. This guy will be fine. Not to mention, your dad is probably freaking out that you've been missing for almost an hour."

"You're right!" Ladybug shouted, her expression turning to one of horror. "I told him I'd be right back. I'm gonna be in so much trouble! Let's hurry!" She sprinted towards the door with Chat Noir at her heels. She ran outside and grappled onto the nearest chimney, up to the skyline. Chat Noir was struggling to keep up. She was speedy especially when she knew she was in trouble.

The duo arrived back at home in two minutes which was just enough time before Chat Noir's transformation wore off. He returned to his kitty form and felt his stomach growl. " _I'm so hungry now,"_ he pouted. " _That's the only downside of transforming. I need food now!"_ He was about to ask Marinette, but noticed that she had already detransformed and was running back into her bedroom.

" _Wait!"_ Chat Noir meowed, trotting after her. " _What about food?"_

Marinette tossed Tikki onto her bed and said, "Wait here! I'll be back soon with cookies or something, but Papa's waiting for me. And Chat, same for you. Wish me luck! Hopefully I won't get grounded for too long!" She disappeared leaving Tikki, Chat Noir, and two growling stomachs.

Downstairs, Tom was still at the register, happily taking orders. Marinette walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder. "Thank you," she apologized. "I'm sorry that took so long. Chat Noir had some... trouble." She braced herself for scolding, but her father only laughed.

"Don't worry, dear," he chuckled. "I had a dog once and he could be a handful. I'm just glad to see you taking responsibility for your pet. You've impressed me. I didn't think you could handle it, but you proved me wrong."

"Thanks, Papa."

"Here's the register again. It shouldn't be too much longer before your mother gets back and she can take over."

Tom headed towards the back room and Marinette pressed a key on the register. " _I'm a terrible daughter,"_ she moaned. " _I lied to Papa and he said he was proud of me!"_ The guilt was starting to build up. " _Keeping this Ladybug thing a secret is harder than I thought!"_

" _And if I have to stay here at the register, I won't be able to bring Tikki and Chat Noir something to eat. Eh... I'm sure they'll be fine. They tend to overexaggerate."_

Back in Marinette's room, Chat Noir was rolling across the floor in agony while Tikki laid on Marinette's bed, limbs spread out. "So hungry..." she said in a fading voice. "Where's Marinette?"

Chat Noir weakly meowed and put his paws on his stomach. " _Marinette... hurry up! I'm going to die!"_

An hour later, Marinette came running upstairs, her arms filled with various types of cookies and cheeses. "I'm back!" she smiled, laying the tasty treats across the floor. "Sorry for the wait! I brought you guys a lot, so dig in!"

"Finally!" Tikki shouted, shoving cookies into her mouth. Chat Noir bit into the gooey cheese and felt his hunger be satiated. He legitimately thought he was going to starve to death. He had never been so hungry even while living on the streets. There was something about using his miraculous powers that really took it out of him.

"While you both are eating, I want to talk about something," Marinette said, taking a seat on her bed. "We know who are enemy is now. It's someone named Hawk Moth and he's not just out to destroy Paris, but to steal our miraculouses too. Why would he want those?"

"To have more power!" Tikki exclaimed between bites of cookie. "Each miraculous has a different set of powers. Hawk Moth's isn't good for combat, but yours and Chat Noir's are."

"I see... I feel still feel like those aren't his only aims though. There's something more sinister behind this. He has to have some kind of goal, but I have no idea what it could be. I wish I knew more about all these miraculouses too. Tikki, do you know anything else?"

"I only know about the Ladybug, Chat Noir, and butterfly miraculouses. There are others out there, but I know very little. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Marinette sighed. "We'll just have to do some research on our own then. Time to investigate!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for a late update! Finals week is coming up and things are getting busy! Anyways, please enjoy this chapter even if it is a bit late :)**

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"How are we going to do that?" Tikki asked, finishing off her last cookie. "It's unlikely anyone still alive has even heard of a miraculous. To my knowledge, the only current miraculous holders are you, Chat Noir, and Hawk Moth. We've reached a dead end before we've even started!"

"I was thinking a little differently," Marinette smiled. "I thought we could go to the library."

"The library?"

"Yep! The royal library is open to the public. It has every type of book you can imagine, even ones that are thousands of years old. There has to be something about miraculouses or how to defeat Hawk Moth. I'm sure we'll find something."

"There might be a book on ancient forms of magic that might help us. It might not be miraculous magic, but it still could work..."

"Exactly," Marinette nodded. "It's settled then. Tomorrow morning, we'll head to the library. I'll tell my parents I'm doing some extra studying for lessons."

The next morning, Marinette woke up early to ensure they could spend the entire day at the library. Tikki woke up around the same time, but Chat Noir was a little trickier. Yesterday's akuma attack exhausted him and he was more than unhappy about being woken up so early.

Marinette changed into a fresh dress and grabbed her purse for Tikki to hide inside. " _Hopefully there won't be many people at the library,"_ Marinette prayed. " _I'm going to need Tikki's help, so she can't stay cooped up in my bag all day. She's not the only help I'll need either."_ Her eyes landed on Chat Noir who was still grumbling on the floor in his cat form. " _There's thousands of books in that library to search through. I'm going to need all the hands... err... paws I can get."_

She grabbed an old, black cloak from the closet and tossed it on Chat Noir. "You're coming with us," she told him. "You need to transform into a human, but keep that cloak on. I don't want anyone to see your ears or tail. People will pin you down for sure."

There was a green glow and the cloak filled with a human body. Chat Noir threw the hood over his head. His ears slightly poked through, but not enough for anyone to notice. It did a good job of hiding his tail too. The only suspicious thing about his appearance was his mask, but most people would ignore that. There were stranger things in Paris.

"Hmph! You think they'll go crazy if they see a hero like me?" Chat Noir smirked. "I'm sure I can handle it."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Marinette said in a grave tone. "We might think we're heroes, but most people won't. Magicians aren't taken kindly to even if they do save the city from stone monsters and pigeon men. Of course there's a few exceptions like Alya, but the negative stigma is still there."

"Why does everyone hate them? Having magic is pretty sweet! Think of all the incredible things you can do with it. I mean, we saved Paris twice!" Chat Noir held up two fingers. "Why should we get criticized for that?"

"Magicians in the past have... let people down. Instead of using their magic for good, their greed gets the best of them. Hawk Moth isn't the first corrupt magician. I've heard stories of magicians destroying entire towns just because they could. But it wasn't always like that. If you read old books, magicians are revered and seen as great heroes. I don't know when all that changed," Marinette sighed. "So that's why I need you to stay safe! Keep that cloak on at all times!"

"Okay, okay," Chat Noir whistled. " _She's cute when she's worried,"_ he smiled. " _But I don't want her to be upset over me. I'll try to stay quiet and out of sight while we're outside."_

"Let's go," Marinette said, heading towards the door. Chat Noir was about to follow her when she held up her hand and stopped him. "You can't follow me," she laughed, turning him around. "What would my parents think if a strange boy appeared out of my bedroom? You'll have to take the roof this time. I'll meet you outside."

After a few minutes and a quick chat with her parents, Marinette ran outside the bakery and expected to be greeted by Chat Noir. She looked around, but saw nobody. " _Where could he be?"_ she groaned, facepalming. " _I left him alone for five minutes and I bet he's already off causing trouble. I hope nothing happened..."_ Her eyes darted across the street and she saw a cloaked figure hovering around a shop window.

"Chat..." Marinette cursed under her breath as she marched across the street. "What are you doing? I told you to wait for me!" Marinette grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her. The figure gasped and turned to face her. " _Oh no!"_ Marinette panicked as she let go. Her gaze was met with an angry glare from an old man with a beard. " _That wasn't Chat!"_

"I'm sorry!" Marinette apologized, bowing her head. "I thought you were someone else." The man grumbled to himself and walked away. Marinette groaned and thought, " _How embarrassing! I'm really going to kick that cat's butt now! Where is he?"_

"What's got you on edge, princess?" a sudden voice called, causing Marinette to jump. She swerved around to see Chat Noir casually leaning against the shop window. He was smiley blissfully, unaware of the distress he had caused Marinette and of the scolding he was about to get. "Don't look so tense," he purred.

"Tense?" Marinette shouted, her face turning red. "I told you to wait outside and you weren't there. Of course I'm tense! What if something happened to you?"

"Relax, bugaboo. I've been right here the whole time. I just crossed over a couple roofs to get here so your parents didn't see me leave the house. I didn't want to get you in trouble," he smiled. He took Marinette's hand gently and kissed it. "Sorry to cause you such a fright."

"I-it's fine!" Marinette stammered, pulling her hand back. She was used to Chat Noir's flirting, but his sudden advances could still catch her off guard. "I'm just glad you're okay. Follow me. I'll show you to the library."

For Chat Noir, walking through the streets of Paris was a new experience. As a cat, he was confined to the alleys and rarely risked the busy streets. As Chat Noir, he normally traveled along the skyline and only stopped down below to fight. He was surprisingly pleased by the vibrant life on the ground. The never ending presence of people was comforting.

"Is there a store for everything?" he asked, pointing at the elaborately decorated shops. There was one that sold just fabric while another sold fruits and vegetables. There was even a store that sold only cheese! It seemed like heaven. Humans had everything at their fingertips.

"Pretty much," Marinette shrugged. "If it exists, you can find it in Paris. People come from all over the world to sell stuff."

"Wow..."

Chat Noir began to wander off the path, unable to look away from all the amazing things he was seeing. " _What's that?"_ he thought as he sprinted away. He pressed his hands against a glass window and peered inside. It seemed to be a music shop and inside was a grand piano. " _It's beautiful... I wonder what it sounds like."_ He desperately wanted to go in and try, but Marinette might be upset if he wandered off again. Maybe he would ask her to go another day.

"Want to try it out?"

Chat Noir turned and saw a familiar, young boy standing in the doorway. His skin was dark and his brown hair cut short. He tried to hide it with a hat. His glasses were pushed high up his nose and he had a smirk that reminded Chat Noir much of his own. The boy walked over and put his hand on Chat's shoulder.

"Don't look so surprised," the boy laughed, knocking Chat Noir in the ribs with his elbow. "I can tell by your expression. You wanna play, so I'll let you come in and try it. My pops owns this shop and he won't mind. Come on in!" The boy went inside and Chat Noir found himself following. He was intrigued by the boy. He was the first person Chat Noir had talked to who wasn't Marinette.

"Have a seat," the boy gestured, tapping the piano bench. "It's all yours. Take it for a spin. I'm sure you can't be any worse than me. Piano's the only instrument I can't seem to figure out."

Chat Noir hesitantly took a seat. He looked down at the keys. There was something oddly familiar about them though as a cat he had never touched a piano before. "What should I play?" Chat Noir asked, a bit perturbed about not having any guidance.

"I don't know. Make something up."

" _Make something up?"_ Chat Noir thought. " _Hmm... okay then!"_ He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He ran his fingers across the keys to get a feel for them. He pressed one down and a high pitched sound came from the piano. With one sound, everything clicked into place.

A beautiful melody drifted from the piano as Chat Noir began to play. Muscle memory took over and his masterpiece began. He played effortlessly like he had known to play all his life. Something about the music moved him and made him feel alive. His hands danced across the keys, filled with energy. He felt the same rush as when he fought an akuma. There was something magical about it.

"Woah!" the boy exclaimed, nearly falling over in shock. "You're basically a pro! Where'd you learn to play like that? I've been trying for years and can barely manage Chopsticks!"

Chat Noir took his hands off the keys and chuckled. "Don't know. I don't think I've ever had a lesson before. It all just kinda... came to me."

"Are you a genius then?" The boy's eyes widened. "The kind that sits down and paints a masterpiece or writes a novel when they're ten. That sorta thing."

"Nah, I'm no genius. We can just call it a tiny bit of talent."

"Well Mr. Talented, I'm Nino," the boy said, offering his hand to shake. "Nice to meet you, bro."

Chat Noir looked at his hand and back at Nino. A childish grin spread across his face. Not the teasing kind, but the kind born of another's compassion. He stuck out his paw and shook Nino's hand. "Nice to meet you too. By the way, I'm Ch-"

"Get away from me!"

The sound of Marinette screaming shot through Chat Noir's head. His ears perked up and his entire body tensed. "I have to go," he shouted, pushing Nino aside as he raced to the door. Nino didn't get a chance to speak before Chat Noir was outside, searching for Marinette.

" _I shouldn't have left her!"_ he panted, working his way through the crowded streets looking for a familiar set of pigtails. " _What if an akuma got her? God damn it! Marinette, where are you?"_ Even with heightened cat senses, it was difficult to pinpoint her location. His nose was filled with the scents of other people and Marinette was nowhere in sight. He would have to rely on sound alone.

"Stop it!"

" _There she is! I just have to follow her voice!" '_

Letting sound guide him, Chat Noir sprinted through the crowd, his cloak whipping in the wind. " _She has to be close!"_ he thought, gaining speed. " _Her voice is getting louder. How far away did she go? Princess!"_

"I said back off!" Marinette cried, knocking a drunk man's hand away from her. This drunken idiot had wobbled up and threw himself on top of her. In his drunken state, throwing him off was simple, but he kept coming back for more. And each time he got more aggressive. He had resorted to grabbing her and Marinette was ready to kick him in the stomach.

" _What a creep,"_ Marinette gagged. " _Who gets drunk this early in the morning anyways? I have to get away from this guy and find Chat Noir. I can't believe we got separated again!"_

Marinette felt a sweaty hand on her neck. "Not so fast," the drunk man slurred. "You're a pretty thing. How about we spend some time together? I know a nice place..."

Marinette's fists clenched and she gritted her teeth. " _That's it! I'm going to kick his ass! No one takes advantage of me!"_

"Let go of her!"

Out of nowhere, Chat Noir came flying out of the sky and kicked the drunken man right in the mouth. The man fell backwards with a grunt and landed in the street, hitting his head against the ground. The blow knocked him temporarily unconscious, freeing Marinette of her annoyance.

"Just in time!" Chat Noir smiled, hands proudly on his hips. "You should've beat that guy up, but you're too nice for that, aren't you? Marinette, you shouldn't let people take advantage of you even if it means-"

"Chat, your hood!" Marinette cried, pointing towards the top of Chat's head. With a confused expression, he touched his head and realized that his hood was no longer covering his head. It must've fallen down when he kicked that man in the face. That meant his furry ears were well exposed in all their glory.

"W-what the hell?" The drunken man had come to and was pointing a shaking hand at Chat Noir's ears. "What the hell are you?" He began to back away on his knees, cowering in fear. "M-monster!"

"Not good!" Marinette yelled as she grabbed Chat's arm. She pulled his hood back up and dragged him into an alleyway, hoping to hide from anyone curious eyes. He tried to protest, but she muffled his sounds with her hand. She wasn't in the mood for his idle chat and flirting.

Once they were safe, she took her hand off his mouth and said, "What were you thinking? First of all, you left my side again and then, you let people see your ears! What are we going to do? That man saw us. You can always turn back into a cat and escape, but what will they do if they catch me?"

"Sorry," Chat Noir frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "I... I didn't mean any harm. I just saw that man hurting you and I got so angry that I couldn't control myself. I had to do something. I couldn't... I couldn't stand anyone treating you like that." His face was bright red and Marinette could tell his words were sincere. Truthfully, she wasn't that upset. She only wanted him to learn his lesson.

"Officer, I think they went this way. I'm tellin' ya! The guy had cat ears like some kind of magical beast!"

"It's that guy!" Chat Noir panicked, pulling his hood tighter onto his head. "If he finds us, we're really toast. What should we do?"

"Transform!" Marinette shouted suddenly. "Turn back into a cat. I'll take your cloak. I have a plan!"

"Got it!" Chat Noir nodded, not even doubting her words for a moment. There was a green glow and Chat Noir's cloak fell to the ground. A black cat stepped out of it and rubbed up against Marinette's legs. His claws were bared in case he needed to defend his lady in this form. Nothing would stop him from protecting her.

Marinette leaned down and picked up Chat Noir's cloak. She threw it on and picked up Chat Noir. She could feel the tension in his body. "Calm down," she whispered, stroking the fur on his back. "I know how to get out of this."

"They ran in here!" The drunk man entered the alley with a royal guard being dragged behind him. The man pointed at her and screamed, "She's the one he was with. She must be some kind of magician too! Or maybe even a monster!"

"Excuse me, is there a problem?" Marinette asked in a sweet tone. She batted her eyelashes and opened her eyes wide. If this was going to work, she really had to lay it on hard.

"Sorry to bother you, miss," the guard said, offering his forgiveness. "This man here says that he saw you with a man that..." He looked back at the drunk to explain the situation. In all his years working as a royal guard, he had never heard a story this absurd.

"Had cat ears and a creepy mask!" the drunk shouted, balling his fists. "I saw him! Where'd he go? I'm gonna give that creature a piece of my mind!"

"This man must be confused," Marinette replied innocently. "He must've seen my pet cat and had an episode. I'm afraid I haven't seen any strange men at all, so his story can't be true. Perhaps he should go home and sleep. He doesn't look well. I'm afraid he might fall over even as we speak."

"I'd agree, miss. Let's go. I'm dropping you off at home," the officer sighed, grabbing the man's arms. "Sorry to bother you. Thanks for your cooperation."

"No problem!" Marinette smiled, waving as the officer dragged the drunk man away. He was kicking and screaming, but was no match for the significantly stronger guard. Marinette watched them safely disappear around the corner and then sat Chat Noir back on the ground.

She took off the cloak and tossed it on top of him. "There you go," she grinned, folding her arms. "Your welcome for cleaning up your mess."

"And you have my eternal gratitude for that," Chat Noir said, appearing out of a flash of green light. "You are a surprisingly good actress, Marinette. I didn't think you had that kind of talent."

Marinette shrugged. "It's no big deal. We should probably leave, but before we go, I want to properly thank you. I know I came off as a bit harsh. I just don't want to see you get hurt. You're one of the most important people in my life and I couldn't stand to lose another one..."

"Princess?"

"Oh... sorry. Anyways, thank you for saving me. You were right. I should've beat him up as soon as I had the chance. If it wasn't for you, I might not be here right now." Marinette's expression dropped as if something was plaguing her mind. It was her previous comment that had sent her mood into a downhill spiral.

Chat Noir noticed the change and grabbed Marinette's hand. "Then we're even," he smiled. "No need to look so down. We still have business to do! On to the library! Lead the way, my lady!" Chat Noir's good attitude was infectious. Despite feeling down, Marinette couldn't help but smile too.

"Okay..." she sighed, exiting the alley. "Let's go!"

After a bit more walking, they arrived at a large castle-like structure surrounded by lush gardens. The library was an impressive structure rivaled by only the palace itself. It was one of Marinette's favorite places in Paris. Nothing could compare to its beauty or all the knowledge stored inside.

"Wow..." Chat Noir said in shock as they stepped into the library. Bookshelves went as high as the ceiling. Light shone through stained glass windows. The library seemed to exist in a plane of its own, untouched by the outside world."This place is amazing!" Chat cried. "You could fit half the city in here! And look at all these books! It would be impossible to read them all in one lifetime."

"It's the city's pride and joy," Marinette laughed, amused by Chat Noir's child-like excitement. "It was built by the late queen before she passed away. She didn't like the idea of a library this size being withheld from the public. She believed that everyone should have the chance to learn and opened this place to normal citizens like us. It was the city's final memory of her."

"How'd she die?"

"She got sick... very sick. There wasn't a doctor in Paris that could diagnose the problem either. They tried everything they could, but no medicine could save her. Some say that it was a curse or a magical disease that killed her. If only there had been a magician that came to aid her... she might have lived. She died when I was young, so I don't know much about her, but I know she was a kind and beloved queen."

"I see... Should we starting cracking open some books then? With all this, we could be here for days. What are we looking for?"

"That's a good question," Marinette sighed, biting her lip. "I'm not sure. Anything about magic might help. Tikki, got any ideas?"

The kwami stuck her head out of Marinette's pocket and said, "I don't know either. Let's see what we can find. I'll help you both search and we'll move twice as fast!"

"Got it!" Marinette nodded her head. "Let's see if they have a section about magic. I'll ask the librarian. She should be at that desk over there. Chat, start looking around and keep your head low and ears hidden." Chat Noir winked and then went off to explore the library.

Marinette walked over to the librarian who was sitting quietly at her desk, reading a book. "Sorry to bother you," Marinette said weakly. "But do you have a section on magic?"

"Magic?" the librarian asked, looking up from her book.

"Um... yes?"

"It's all the way in the back. Everyone of those shelves contains magic related books."

"Thank you so much!"

"A lot of people have been checking out books on magic after those two magicians showed up," the librarian continued. "It's good to see that people are having a change of heart. My grandfather was a magician and faced lots of scorn because of it. It warms my heart to see those heroes pave the way to a future where magic and not can coexist." The librarian gave Marinette a warm smile to which she quickly returned.

As Marinette went to find Chat Noir, she thought, " _I didn't think Ladybug and Chat Noir had that much of an impact on people. I thought we were just fighting monsters, but the miraculouses stand for more than that. They symbolize hope that's lasted for centuries and I won't let that hope die out with me."_

She walked past aisles of books until she saw Chat Noir in the middle of climbing up one to reach a book. "Down, kitty," Marinette laughed. "The magic books are back here. Nice try." She continued on while Chat Noir jumped to the ground. He waddled after her like a baby kitten following his mother.

They arrived at a large line of bookshelves. Even with narrowing it down this much, there was still hundreds of books. It was a lot to look through and three sets of eyes might not be enough.

"Get looking guys," Marinette said, letting Tikki out of her pocket. "If you find anything important, alert the others. I don't want to risk missing anything. Every piece of information is valuable!" Tikki and Chat Noir nodded and ran off to begin their search.

" _There's so many!"_ Marinette thought in frustration. " _Where should I even start? Some of these books look brand new, so I guess I can eliminate those. Books about the miraculous would have to be pretty old considering the magic's age. There wouldn't happen to be a book called 'A Beginner's Guide to Miraculouses', would there? That'd make my life easier."_

She got onto her knees and began to search one of the shelves. " _Best Potion Recipes? Nope. Magic Through the Modern Ages. Probably nothing. Bumps and Warts: A Guide to the Grossest of Magics. Definitely not!"_

Marinette's stack of books grew higher as she pulled more and more off the shelf. None of them seemed have anything interesting, let alone valuable. Chat Noir and Tikki seemed to be having the same luck. Chat Noir found a book on black cats, but once he opened it, he realized it was just a science book put away in the wrong place.

"This is so frustrating!" Marinette moaned, leaning her head against the shelf. "There has to be something, but I don't know how to find it. Grr!" She banged the back of her head on the shelf in defeat. " _I give up!"_

Suddenly, a book fell from the shelf and onto her lap. " _What's this?"_ Marinette wondered, picking it up. " _How'd did it fall from all the way up there? It has such a strange cover. There's not a title or anything, just this strange symbol."_

The book looked old and was bound in leather. On the cover was a red symbol that reminded Marinette of characters in ancient writing. Her interest piqued, she opened the book and was astonished to find all the pages were blank.

" _What kind of book is this? There's nothing written here. Who would put a book with no words in a library?"_

"Chat! Tikki! Take a look at this!" Marinette yelled, calling her friends over. "I found this weird book. All the pages are blank. There isn't anything written on them!"

Chat Noir took the book from her hand and flipped through the pages. "She's right," he frowned, turning the book sideways as if that would make something appear. "It's empty!"

He went to hand it back to Marinette. Both their hands overlapped across the red symbol while they exchanged it and out of nowhere, the book began to glow. "AAH!" Chat Noir and Marinette shouted, dropping the book the ground. The symbol was glowing a vibrant red and there was a strange light emitting from the pages.

"What's happening?" Marinette asked with wide eyes. "Why's it doing that?"

"It's a magic book!" Tikki pointed out. "Maybe it needed magic to activate it! Pick it up and see if anything happened!"

Marinette gulped and hesitantly picked up the book. " _It feels warm..."_ She opened the leather cover and took in the scent of the worn, dusty pages and the old ink from the words. " _Words!"_ Marinette gasped. " _Words appeared! All the pages are filled now!"_

"Look!" Marinette shouted and she ran her hand through the pages. "It's not empty anymore. Somehow Chat Noir and I both touching the book made the words appear!"

"That's a good sign, isn't it!" Chat Noir smiled. "Hurry up and read it! It could have something about Hawk Moth!"

" _Or about my identity..."_ he had as an afterthought. " _I've stopped thinking about it so much now that I have Marinette, but this might be my chance to get some answers!"_

"Go on!" Tikki urged. She had never seen this book before, but wondered what secrets it could be hiding. Those words must have been hidden for some reason and they only appeared in the presence of Ladybug and Chat Noir. It was as if the book was written only for their eyes like it contained knowledge only they should know.

Marinette ran her hand across the first page and began to read. "The Legend of Ladybug and Chat Noir..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for another late update, but it should be the last one now that finals are over and I'm back home! Please enjoy this chapter! :)**

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"It's a story," Marinette announced, flipping through the pages. "It's about these magicians that would eventually become miraculous holders. There's the ladybug, butterfly, fox, bee, peacock, and turtle..."

"Yes! That's right!" Tikki exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "There are other miraculouses, but they are scattered throughout the world. Paris isn't the only place confronting great evil. There might be other heroes like you out saving the day as we speak!"

Chat Noir frowned and took the book from Marinette's hands. "What about the black cat?" He asked. "Isn't there supposed to be a black cat miraculous? It doesn't say anything about that here. It only talks about these six magicians, but the cat isn't one of them."

"Read closer," Marinette said, pointing to a spot on the page. "There is a black cat in this story except he isn't a magician. He's just a normal black cat! Apparently the first Ladybug had a pet cat that she took with her everywhere. They were best friends, partners even."

"Just like us, my lady." Chat Noir blew Marinette a kiss, but she just rolled her eyes. She grabbed the book back and flipped to the next page. This story contained more than what met the eye. Something was bothering her especially about the black cat. Shouldn't he have been a magician too?

Marinette skimmed the page and summarized it. "To make a long story short, the butterfly basically took control of the entire kingdom with his magic. He used to be a friend of Ladybug until he became corrupt and went rogue. He was able to posses people's minds and control them. He was also able to lend people magical power so they could fight in his place."

"So he was an upgraded version of our Hawk Moth?"

"Pretty much," Marinette nodded. "He gained so much power that Ladybug thought he'd be impossible to defeat, so she thought instead of fighting him with magic, she tried to appeal to his heart. She traveled to his palace and tried to persuade him to step down. She didn't have the heart to hurt her friend."

"And I'm guessing that didn't go too well?" Chat Noir predicted. "I can't imagine a guy that powerful willingly backing down for the sake of friendship."

"You're right. He arrested her and threw her in prison. He cast a spell that weakened her magic, so she couldn't escape. He shut her in the darkest, deepest corner of the prison as punishment." A shiver ran down Marinette's spine as she imagined it. It was a brutal punishment in addition to the loss of a friend. She felt bad for the original Ladybug. Fighting someone you used to call a friend seemed impossible.

"So is that it?" Chat Noir asked. "Did the bad guy win or-"

"This can't be!" Marinette cried, cutting Chat Noir off. "Is this even possible?"

"Spit it out! What are you talking about?"

Marinette gripped the book's edges tightly. "Ladybug had prepared a spell in case she was captured that she needed her friends to perform, but she had to send a message to them. Her black cat ran to her side and was given the message to carry on."

"That's ridiculous," Chat Noir laughed. "Cats can't talk. I speak from personal experience. Unless one of those miraculous users had mind reading powers, that's a flawed plan."

"This is where it gets strange. Ladybug cast a spell that transferred her part of her remaining magical power to her cat so he could fight in her place and carry on her message. But magicians can only be human so the spell transformed the cat into a human boy!"

"What!?" Tikki and Chat Noir shouted in unison. They crowded around Marinette to read the page and what they saw was true. Ladybug's pet cat had been given part of his master's magic, so much that they now stood on equal footing in terms of power. She gave him her message and he went off to alert her friends.

"The original Chat Noir was a cat?" Tikki asked. "But all the Chat Noirs I've ever seen have been human. This doesn't make sense."

"Aren't black cats are naturally magic beings," Marinette continued. "While they can't practice magic themselves, they are powerful which is why magicians in the past often had them as pets. If this cat was Ladybug's pet, he was probably the most powerful black cat of them all! But in order for him to fight and use that magic, she had to give him a human form!"

"That might explain why our Chat Noir is a cat then..." Tikki mused, flying on top of Chat Noir's head. "He might have had lots of magical potential, but could never use it. That's why he was chosen to have a miraculous!"

"I'm not so sure." Marinette shook her head. "The story isn't over yet. The original Chat Noir makes it back to Ladybug's friends and tells them to help him cast her spell. The spell will seal the butterfly's powers in a sacred object but in the process, their own powers will be sealed as well."

"So they had to sacrifice their magic?" Chat Noir asked as he plucked Tikki off his head. "Why? That's not fair!" His tail thumped against the ground in frustration, nearly knocking over a stack of books. A part of him felt bad for the magicians. They were trying to save an entire kingdom and how did they get repaid? By losing their magic.

"Sometimes magic requires you to pay the ultimate price," Tikki sighed. "Spells aren't always straightforward. When you use a magical item, you can guarantee the same result everytime. Spells, however, are more complex. They can be unpredictable and require an incredible amount of power to keep them stable. Sometimes they have a backlash."

"And that's what happened," Marinette read on. "They were able to recite the spell and their magic took the form of some kind of item. For Chat Noir, it was a ring like we know. For Ladybug, who even in prison was affected by the spell, it was these earrings. And it says for Hawk Moth... it was a brooch shaped like a butterfly!"

"Now we're talking!" Chat Noir howled in joy. "That brooch must be the source of our Hawk Moth's powers. All we gotta do is snatch it back and problem solved!"

"We have to find him first," Marinette muttered under her breath. Chat Noir was jumping ahead. "Anyways, this spell did more than just seal their magic. These magicians were some of the most powerful in history, so they couldn't let their magic lie around unprotected. They wanted it to be used for good so for each item, a magical spirit was born to protect it and pass the power on to future successors. That spirit... is that a kwami?"

Chat Noir and Marinette looked at Tikki. The small creature smiled nervously and nodded. "That's me!" she explained. "I was born to protect those earrings, but I was never told anything before that. I got to meet the original Ladybug only once and that was to receive my orders to protect the miraculous."

"You met her?" Marinette gasped, nearly dropping the book on the floor. "What was she like?" A secret part of Marinette wondered about her predecessor. What was she like? Was she beautiful and kind? Was she just as clumsy as Marinette or was she graceful like a swan? Considering she was one of the greatest magicians in history, she had to be incredible.

"She reminds me of you," Tikki giggled. "She wasn't much older than you are now and had a bright smile even during tough times. That unrelenting kindness must be a trait she passed on to future Ladybugs."

"What about the original Chat Noir?" Chat Noir asked, his ears perking up. "I know he was a cat and all, but he was probably a handsome devil."

"You'd have to ask Plagg," Tikki smiled. "He's in charge of protecting Chat Noir's miraculous and I'm sure he'd have a thousand things to say though not all of them might be flattering. I wish I could introduce the two of you. I think you'd get along since you both have so much in common like an obsession with gross cheese!" Tikki pretended to gag and then broke into laughter.

"Is that the end of the story then?" Marinette wondered as she neared the end of the page. "Ladybug and the other magicians were able to seal the original Hawk Moth's magic away in that brooch and the day was saved. But that can't be all... just look at the size of this book!"

Marinette flipped through a few more pages and to her surprise found that the story continued. "Wait!" she exclaimed, pushing the book over towards Chat Noir and Tikki. "This book doesn't only have the story of the first Ladybug and Chat Noir. It has the story of all of them! See! Look at this!"

She pointed at an illustration of a woman wearing exotic clothing with a Ladybug pattern. "This Ladybug is different than the first one," Marinette explained. "She was the daughter of the head of an eastern tribe and in her time, someone stole the fox miraculous and used it to manipulate reality and fool people. And on the next page is her Chat Noir! It says he was the son of an enemy tribe, but they came together to fight evil and save everyone!"

"So Ladybug and Chat Noir change depending on the time and place?" Chat Noir asked, still a bit confused. "And each time, there's a different problem. It's not always about the butterfly miraculous. Someone else can stir up trouble too."

"That's right," Tikki nodded. "All it takes is one person with malicious intent to turn a miraculous evil. Ladybug and Chat Noir have to be ready to fight anything! I've been with every single Ladybug, so I know all these girls. I didn't know about this book though. Perhaps another miraculous user created it. It documents every Ladybug and Chat Noir and I'd bet that if we had a different miraculous user here, we'd learn about their history too."

"Does that mean we're in here?" Marinette asked. She turned to the back of the book since she and Chat Noir would be the most recent entry. She turned through the pages until...

"Here we go! Look! There's a picture of me and everything. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, daughter of a Parisian baker. And it explains a little bit about Hawk Moth creating akumas, but nothing we don't already know. Strange..."

"Is there anything about me?" Chat Noir exclaimed, quickly stealing the book from Marinette. " _This might have information about my identity,"_ he thought. " _This could be what I've been waiting for!"_

Chat Noir opened to the page on him. There was a large illustration of his human form. Where his name should have been, there was a nothing, just blank space. All the information Marinette had was missing for him.

" _A dead end after all..."_ Chat Noir sighed, handing the book back to Marinette. " _If this magic book has nothing about me, I should give up. Maybe I never had an identity to begin with. Can cats even have amnesia? At the end of the day, that's all I really am. Just a stupid cat..."_

"Why doesn't it have anything about Chat Noir?" Marinette frowned. "I had so much written, but he has almost nothing. There's no other entry in the book like it."

"It might have something to do with him being a cat," Tikki mused, thinking to herself. "He is the odd one out. All the other Chat Noirs were definitely human, but this one isn't. Even so, he should at least have a name and explanation of that unless none of it is true..."

Marinette raised an eyebrow and looked up a Chat Noir who had a guilty expression. She leaned closer to him and asked, "Is there something you haven't been telling us? I can tell by the look on your face that something isn't right. You don't have to keep anything a secret, you know. We're partners and best friends." She gave him a hopeful smile, praying he would open up to her.

" _It looks like I've been busted,"_ Chat Noir thought. " _The cat's out of the bag, but maybe this is a good thing. I don't know how much longer I could've kept this a secret."_

"The truth is..." Chat Noir began hesitantly. "I don't really know who or what I am. I came up with the name Chat Noir on my own because I have no memory of anything beyond a year ago. My identity is a mystery even to me. The only thing I seemed to remember was the name "Ladybug" so when I met you I thought I finally found my answers. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything and this book doesn't even have anything about me. I'm starting to think that my identity might be meaningless anyways. What does it matter if a cat has memories?"

"Don't say that!" Marinette grabbed Chat Noir's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug, causing him to blush. "Everything about you is important! If you want to have your memories back, we'll find a way! That's what friends are for. I wish you'd told us sooner though. We might have been able to figure something out earlier. But I'm just glad you told us. I bet this secret has been burdening you for a long time."

" _She can see right through me,"_ Chat Noir chuckled, returning the hug. " _I should've known better. Marinette really is something special..."_ He let her warm arms take him in. He rest his head against her shoulder. His tail went lax. Marinette's presence calmed him. All his worries went away as his mind focused solely on her. He had no doubts that he loved this girl.

Tikki's eyes narrowed as she watched Marinette and Chat Noir hug. " _This has gotten even stranger,"_ she frowned. " _He's the only Chat Noir who isn't human and he doesn't have any memories either. On top of that, Plagg is still missing. There's definitely something more going on, but I don't think Chat Noir is lying to us either."_

After realizing she had been hugging Chat for an unusually long amount of time, Marinette broke the hug and let out an embarrassed laugh. "I-I guess that's that..." she stammered, closing the book. "I'll put the book back and then we can leave. I'm starting to get hungry, so maybe we can go get lunch."

Marinette walked away to reshelve the book and thought, " _Why did I get so embarrassed? Chat Noir and I are friends. Hugging shouldn't be weird. I must be a little tense with all this Ladybug stuff, that's all. Not to mention, I'm worried about him. I didn't realize he was suffering from amnesia. It must be awful to not remember anything about the past. I wonder how that could have happened."_

As Marinette walked away, Chat Noir let out a deep sigh filled with longing. " _That hug was too much for my heart,"_ he thought as he touched his chest. " _She doesn't even notice how much she affects me. I'm not hoping for anything since I'm just a cat, but I wish she'd at least notice me a little bit. When she leans in close like that I think I might explode!"_

"I put it back along with all the other books we took out," Marinette said as she came back. "We can leave now. Chat, make sure your cloak is back on. Your ears are sticking out." She pointed to his head and he quickly put his hood back up with a wink. Tikki flew back into Marinette's pocket and the trio headed out.

As they exited the library, they passed by the librarian's desk. She held up her hand and stopped them. "Did you find everything you were looking for?" she asked sweetly. Chat Noir turned his head as the librarian looked at him. He didn't want anyone watching him for too long or they might find him suspicious.

"We did," Marinette smiled. "Thank you for the help. This is a really great library. I didn't expect to find so many books of magic especially considering its reputation."

"That's partially my doing," the librarian laughed. "My grandfather was a magician. He was an honest and kind man, but still received hatred from the public because of his power. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a magician too, but I didn't have the talent for it. So instead I collected my grandfather's magic books and when he passed away, I donated them here."

"I'm sorry about your grandfather..."

"It's nothing, dear. Though I wish he was here to see those new heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir. I'm sure he'd be happy to see magicians doing good and changing people's opinion. Up until his death, he worked hard to serve Paris. It's good to see people continue his work. Oh my! Look at me rambling on. I just get so excited talking about grandfather and so few people are interested. The last person I told was actually Prince Adrien, if you can believe it."

"Prince Adrien!" Marinette exclaimed, her heart stopping. "P-prince Adrien was here?" Chat Noir gave her a curious glance. He hadn't heard about this Prince Adrien before, but Marinette certainly seemed to react to his name.

"Why yes! Coincidentally, he came in and asked about the magic section just like you did. I gladly showed him though I didn't think the young prince had an interest in magic. I suppose a prince is expected to be educated in all areas though. And if I remember correctly he visited about a week before his passing, bless his soul."

"Really?"

"I talked to him for a while about magic and such. He was intrigued by my grandfather or maybe that was him being polite. He asked me about a certain type of magic, but I can't recall the name... I hadn't heard of anything like it before."

" _Prince Adrien was here,"_ Marinette thought with a sad smile. " _And he was interested in magic. I'm sure he'd be a big fan of Ladybug if he was still alive."_ Marinette felt a lump form in her throat. " _I'm getting emotional again... I really have to stop thinking of him. The pain never really goes away."_

"Thank you for your help again," Marinette said, ending the conversation. "Hopefully we can see you again soon." Marinette waved to the librarian and then walked out with Chat Noir. There was a vacant look in her eyes that was bothering Chat Noir. He knew something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" He asked, stopping her by putting his paw on her shoulder. "You look like you're about to cry. Did the librarian say something to upset you? You've been acting funny ever since she mentioned that Adrien guy." At the mention of the name, Chat Noir felt Marinette's shoulder tense. He had struck something.

"It's nothing..." Marinette mumbled as she stared down at her feet. She wasn't in the mood to talk about it. She wanted to keep her unrequited feelings a secret. The only one she had ever told was Alya. It wasn't something Chat Noir needed to know now. He had his own problems and Marinette didn't want to burden him with hers.

"It's not nothing!" Chat Noir protested. "This guy is obviously making you sad! What did he do to you? I can fix it! Just tell me what to do and-"

"Knock it off, Chat!" Marinette snapped as she knocked Chat Noir's hand away. He took a step back in shock, surprised by Marinette's reaction. She hung her head and sighed, "I'm sorry. I'm not feeling well all of a sudden. It's really no big deal. He's nobody so you can relax." She reached out and touched Chat Noir's cheek, causing his face to go red.

"Don't give me that look," she smiled though Chat Noir could tell it was forced. "I don't want you to be sad either. We have bigger problems than that like getting your memory back and defeating Hawk Moth. Maybe I'll tell you once everything is all over, but it's really not important."

"Marinette, are you lying to me?" Chat Noir frowned. He took Marinette's hand gently and squeezed it. He wanted her to know that he was there for her.

"Of course not, kitty."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Chat Noir looked into Marinette's eyes. Instead of their usual boldness, they were murky and distant. " _She is lying,"_ Chat Noir thought as he let go of Marinette's hand. " _But I can't pressure her into telling the truth. It's her secret to keep. I'm sure she'll tell me when she's ready."_

" _I wish I knew more about this prince though. The name sounds strangely familiar, but I don't remember hearing anyone talk about him before. The librarian mentioned he passed away, but I don't think that's the only thing making Marinette sad. If he was a prince, they probably wouldn't even know each other. So why is she so sad?"_

Chat Noir lightly slapped his cheek and shook his head. " _Stop that!"_ he scolded himself. " _It's Marinette's business, not yours! Don't barge in where you don't belong. Just trust her..."_

"Why are you just standing there?" Marinette asked, stealing Chat Noir from his thoughts. "I said let's go get some food. Aren't you hungry? If you really want, I guess I can leave you at the library." She giggled at her joke, a slight rosiness returning to her cheeks.

Chat Noir smiled back. Marinette was already feeling better. "Don't leave me behind!" he protested, throwing himself on Marinette's back playfully. "This kitty's got an appetite! I'm starving! Can we stop by the cheese store we passed on the way here?"

Marinette rolled her eyes and laughed. "Okay, but only because you asked nicely. We'll have to stop by a real shop though so I can eat real food! I still don't understand how you can eat such smelly cheese."

"It's an acquired taste. I'm sure you'd love it if you'd only try it, my lady."

"Yuck! No thanks!" Marinette stuck her tongue out. Her stomach let out a loud rumble and both she and Chat Noir erupted into laughter.

"Enough jokes," Marinette said, patting her stomach. "Let's go get something to eat!"


	11. Chapter 11

**We return with the wild adventures of Paris's greatest heroes! Please enjoy! :)**

* * *

"Hmm.." Marinette frowned as she looked around. "That's odd. I could have sworn the cheese shop was this way, but maybe I took a wrong turn. All these new streets can get so confusing! They all look the same."

"Are we lost, my lady?" Chat Noir smirked. "There's no shame in admitting it."

"I'm not lost! I'm just having some trouble with directions. I'll get us out of here in no time. All we have to do is turn this way... or was it that way... or maybe we should backtrack..."

"Marinette..."

"Hush! I'm trying to think!" Marinette shouted, holding her finger up to Chat Noir's lips. "When you've lived in Paris as long as I have, it's hard to get lost. I know exactly where we are... probably,"

Her tone sounded confident, but Chat Noir could tell she was completely lost. As she walked around in circles trying to pick a direction, Chat Noir chuckled to himself. " _That attitude is oddly adorable,"_ he laughed. " _Her pride will get her far, but I don't know if it will get us back home. It might be time for Chat Noir to intervene."_

"Listen princess," Chat Noir announced, pulling out his baton proudly. "Let's check out an overhead view. With this, we can make it back in seconds. Care to hop on? It'll be a first class ride."

"I thought we were trying not to attract attention, Chat. That's what the hood was for, remember?"

"Oops! Sorry," Chat Noir replied sheepishly. He hooked his baton back on his belt and sighed. " _What's the point in having magic powers if you can't use them... We just might have to hop on a trolley instead with the way things seem to be going."_

"Wait! I think I know where we are now. Over there is the clock shop that Alix's father runs and right there is the flower cart owned by Rose's family. That means we aren't too far from the main road. We just need to go this way!" Marinette whipped around and pointed into the direction behind Chat Noir.

He raised an eyebrow and sighed. "So we have to go back the way we came?"

"Don't be so pouty," Marinette giggled, giving Chat Noir a playful flick on the forehead. "We'll be back before you know it. C'mon! I'm still starving!"

"Excuse me, citizens. Have you seen any criminals?" a deep voice boomed from behind Marinette and Chat Noir. They both slowly turned around to see a large, looming figure towering over them. The man appeared to be a royal guide except he was twice the size of a normal person and his face was completed covered by a helmet. His voice was oddly choppy.

Marinette jumped in front of Chat Noir who lowered his head. "Nope!" Marinette smiled, putting her hands behind her back. "We haven't seen any! Sorry!"

The guard nodded and walked away, each footstep shaking the ground. His hand never left his sword which was a signal that he was ready to fight at a moment's notice. As he left, Marinette tapped Chat Noir on the shoulder and whispered into his ear.

"Something isn't right," she said in a hushed tone. "That man is no normal guard. It has to be an akuma!"

"Really?" Chat Noir moaned. "But I'm hungry! I don't know how long my transformation can last on an empty stomach!"

"You know it won't transform back unless you use your cataclysm. Let's find a safe place for me to transform and then we can go kick some bad guy butt!"

They ran behind a vacant cart and Marinette let Tikki out of her pocket. "There's an akuma walking around town," Marinette explained to her kwami friend. "He looks innocent, but I bet he's itching for a fight. We have to stop him before anyone gets hurts!"

Tikki nodded and Marinette said the magic words, causing her to transform. Ladybug jumped out from behind the cart, yo-yo in hand and ready to fight. Chat Noir, who was standing guard, threw off his cloak and stretched out his arms.

"Finally!" he yawned, scratching the back of his head. "I thought I was going to die of heatstroke if I kept that thing on any longer!"

"No time for complaining!" Ladybug protested. "We need to find that akuma. He went that way! Let's follow him!" She latched her yo-yo onto a nearby roof and swung herself up. Chat Noir quickly followed and they were on their way across the Paris rooftops. Hopefully they would lay this akuma to rest soon. It was way past lunch time now.

"My lady, over there!" Chat Noir shouted, stopping Ladybug in her tracks. "Isn't that him?" He pointed at the akuma who was arguing with a young man. Ladybug motioned from Chat Noir to follow her and keep quiet. They shuffled over to a grove of trees and jumped into one as cover. Ladybug wanted to observe the villain before they planned their attack.

"Try to find the akuma," Ladybug whispered, pushing away some leaves to get a better view. "It has to be somewhere on that giant hunk of metal."

"Did you steal this bread?" the akuma shouted as he stared down at the man he was confronting.

The man shook his head and clutched his bread underneath his arm. "I-I didn't!" he stammered. His legs were shaking so badly, Ladybug thought the poor man might collapse. "I didn't, I swear!" the man shouted, backing away from the akuma. "Please spare me!"

The akuma shook his head and said, "Criminals must be punished!" He took out his sword and raised it above the man's head. "In the name of Rogercop, I punish you!"

Chat Noir lept out of the tree before Ladybug could stop him. He jumped on to Rogercop's back and grabbed his neck. "Not so fast!" Chat Noir chided, riding Rogercop like a horse. "Put that sword down before somebody gets hurt!" Rogercop growled and grabbed Chat Noir with a beefy arm. He threw the poor kitten onto the ground.

"Justice is here!" Rogercop announced, pointing his sword at Chat Noir. "Criminals must be punished! Hand over your miraculous!" Chat Noir reached for his baton, but realized it was missing. It must have fallen off his belt when he jumped from the tree which meant he was defenseless. Chat Noir covered his face as he braced himself to be sliced in two.

"Hold it!"

Ladybug jumped onto the ground and threw her yo-yo at Rogercop. It wrapped around his sword and she quickly pulled it back, freeing it from his hand. "Didn't your parents tell you not to play with sharp objects?" Ladybug smiled as the sword fell into her hands. "Wow! This thing is heavy! You have to be careful with something like this."

"Give it back!" Rogercop roared, lunging at Ladybug.

"Don't count on it!" Ladybug smirked as she jumped onto a nearby building. There was no way Rogercop could chase her up there. He was too big and bulky. Moving around in all that armor had to be a chore. Even carrying just the sword was exhausting.

"Come down!" Rogercop held his arm up and a blast of light came flying at Ladybug. She held up the sword and the light reflected off it, bouncing off in another direction. Ladybug watched the blast hit an innocent Parisian who was walking by. Metal chains formed around his hands like a prisoner. The man looked at Ladybug and Rogercop in confusion, but quickly ran away despite chained hands.

"Ladybug!" Chat Noir shouted as the man ran away. "What are we going to do about that?"

"It's fine!" she hollered back. "Once we defeat this akuma, everything will go back to normal. Now would you get up here and lend me a hand? This sword is making my arms hurt!"

Chat Noir jumped up to his lady's side and frowned. "What now?" he asked, hands on his hips. "We have his sword, but he can still hurt people with those handcuffs of his. I could try to take him in a fight, but I dropped my baton."

"Good thing I'm used to picking up after pets," Ladybug laughed, tossing Chat Noir's baton to him. "Did you figure out where the akuma is?"

"Not yet," Chat Noir shook his head. "But we don't have time for that. It looks like our hero of justice has run off to find another victim." He and Ladybug looked down at the ground and found that Rogercop had mysteriously vanished, but their was a trail of handcuffed citizens in his wake.

"There has to be some way to stop him," Ladybug groaned, rubbing her temples. "Neither of us have the strength to distract him with a fight for very long. We've got to think of something else."

"Let's think of something on the move. We don't have much time!"

Ladybug and Chat Noir dashed away, leaving Rogercop's sword behind. It was obvious who the akuma had deemed a criminal as they passed by dozens of people handcuffed on the ground. " _This akuma needs to fix his definition of justice,"_ Ladybug sighed as she ran across the rooftops. " _Making a mistake doesn't mean you're a criminal."_

"Over there!" Chat Noir shouted. Ladybug spotted Rogercop confronting a teenage girl dressed in an eccentric yellow dress. The girl was pressed up against the wall, shaking. Her face was caked in makeup and her once neat hair had fallen out of place.

"Daddy!" the girl screamed, flailing her arms wildly. "Help me!"

" _So maybe Rogercop does know a bad guy when he sees one,"_ Ladybug snickered. " _But I can't let him tease her for too long. Not even she deserves that."_

"Chat Noir, mind acting as a distraction?" Ladybug smiled, patting Chat Noir on the back. "That girl's in trouble and I have a feeling Rogercop intends to do more than chain her up. We have to stop him!"

"Anything for you, my lady," Chat Noir bowed. He extended his baton and hopped off the roof, landing on Rogercop's shoulders. The girl in the yellow dress looked up with wide eyes at her cat-eared hero, hardly able to contain her screams.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Chat Noir joked as he bashed Rogercop's head with his baton. He backflipped off the akuma and stuck his staff out like a sword. "Looks like justice is about to be served!" Chat Noir lunged at Rogercop, but the akuma was quick to defend himself with his steel-covered arms. Even without a weapon, Rogercop was a tough opponent and Chat Noir knew he could only last a few minutes before his stamina would give out.

As Chat Noir lured Rogercop away from the girl, Ladybug flew down in front of her. The girl let out a shriek in surprise and nearly fell backwards on her dress. "Y-You're... Ladybug, aren't you?" the girl stammered as Ladybug helped her stand up.

Ladybug wiped her hands on her suit and gave a forced smile. "That's me," she grinned. "And you're Chloe Bourgeois, right? I've heard lots about you..."

"Really?" Chloe smiled haughtily. "Of course you have. I'm the most popular girl in Paris and my daddy is..." Chloe rambled on about her father's accomplishments as Ladybug covered her ears with a groan.

" _She shouldn't waste her breath,"_ Ladybug thought as Chloe droned on. " _I'm well acquainted with you and I know that you're popular, but not in a good way. I have to shut her up and get her out of danger!"_

"That's nice," Ladybug said as she grabbed Chloe's arm. "But we should really get you away from this akuma. It seems to have a vendetta against you."

"Hmph," Chloe pouted, crossing her arms. "I'm not scared of him. He should be scared of me. My daddy's going to have him fired because that stupid guard refused to arrest the person who stole my bracelet! How utterly ridiculous!"

" _So this akuma is her fault again?"_ Ladybug rolled her eyes. " _What a surprise... not. If I didn't know better, I'd guess that Chloe was partners with Hawk Moth considering all the trouble she causes. It sucks enough that I have to deal with her during lessons, but now I have to save her life too?"_

"Yo LB!" Chat Noir shouted, taking Ladybug's attention off Chloe. "Things aren't going to well over here and this cat doesn't have nine lives!"

"You need to get out of here!" Ladybug reiterated as she pushed Chloe into a nearby alleyway. "Hide behind something, but stay out of sight." The fierceness in her tone shocked Chloe. The blonde nodded and ducked down behind a trash bin, her head just barely peeking around the side.

Ladybug ran back into the street where Chat Noir and Rogercop were fighting. She could see the fatigue on Chat Noir's face. He could only last a few more minutes at most. Ladybug examined the villain and tried to find a sign of the akuma.

" _It wasn't in his sword,"_ she frowned. " _And it's probably not in his armor either... Wait! He's got something hanging on his neck! Is that a whistle? That's gotta be it."_

Around Rogercop's neck was a whistle, the kind that all the guards carried around. It made it easier for them to alert citizens and other guards of trouble. Every guard was required to have one and this akuma was no different. But the real question was how to get it off his neck.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug shouted, using her last resort. A pair of red and black spotted oven mitts landed in her hands. " _Oven mitts?"_ she groaned internally. " _We have dozens of these at the bakery. How are oven mitts going to stop that thing?"_

Ladybug looked at Rogercop who was beginning to shoot at Chat Noir. Luckily, Chat was quick thanks to his cat reflexes. However, he could only dodge for so long. It would only take one misstep for him to become Rogercop's prisoner. She doubted if even his cataclysm could get him out of those handcuffs.

" _Wait a second..."_

Ladybug turned around and saw a pile of trash sitting in the corner of the alley. There was shredded paper, banana peels, and most importantly, a piece of rope. The ends were frayed which is probably why the owner tossed it out. It was fairly short too and wouldn't be too helpful in tying things together. But it might help capture an akuma

She grabbed the rope and looped it through the circle of fabric that hung off the oven mitt. Making sure her knots were tied tightly, Ladybug held up her makeshift handcuffs proudly. " _They won't hold him for very long,"_ Ladybug admitted as she ran towards Rogercop. " _But it'll give me just enough time to grab that whistle!"_

Amidst his fight, Chat Noir caught a glimpse of Ladybug charging at Rogercop. She had a pair of oven mitts tied together in her hands. They vaguely reminded him of handcuffs. Then, he looked back at Rogercop with a sly smile.

" _So that's her plan, eh? Guess it's time to put this akuma under arrest!"_

"Betcha can't catch me!" Chat Noir taunted, sticking out his tongue. He shook his tail cheekily and danced around. Rogercop stomped his feet in anger and ran at him, prepared to shoot. Chat Noir shook his finger and clicked his tongue. "Not so fast! Cataclysm!"

Chat Noir somersaulted forward and ran his hand across the cobble road underneath Rogercop. The brick began to crumble into dust and the ground underneath was tough enough to support Rogercop's weight. The akuma fell through the ground, getting his legs stuck in the dirt. He tried to escape but failed. He was completely stuck.

"Criminals must be punished! Give up your miraculous!"

A bolt of light hit Chat Noir and thrust him against a nearby wall. A pair of handcuffs appeared around his wrists, chaining him not only to himself but also to the wall. Rogercop still held his arms out as he prepared to shoot again when he heard a feminine voice from behind him.

"I think it's your turn to get punished!"

Ladybug launched herself off Rogercop's shoulders and flipped through the air over him. She shoved the oven mitt cuffs over his hands, disorienting him. The akuma growled in frustration as he tried to remove the mitts, but before he could, Ladybug was back in his face.

She reached out and grabbed the whistle hanging on his neck. It came off with a satisfying "snap"! Ladybug held her prize high in the air and then threw it at the ground, smashing it with her foot. The whistle broke into little pieces and a black butterfly came flying out.

"No more evil doing for you little akuma," Ladybug smiled as she snatched the butterfly with her yo-yo. Like usual, it's dark wings turned white as it was released back into the air; a sign all its evil magic had vanished.

Rogercop fell over in agony, the oven mitts falling off his hand. Ladybug picked them up and yelled, "Miraculous Ladybug!" A rush of red flooded the area, freeing all off Rogercop's victims. Chat Noir had a satisfying grin as he stood back up and stretched his wrists. Being chained to a wall was killer on the body.

"Nice one, m'lady," Chat Noir smiled, giving Ladybug a fist bump. "I didn't think the walk home was going to be this exciting, but we should really start heading back. This cat's worked up an even stronger appetite and I don't have much time before I transform."

Ladybug nodded in agreement. "We should hurry. Neither of us have much time!" She wanted to talk to the red-haired guard who was sitting on the ground, confused. He must be disoriented and scared, but she didn't have much time to spare chatting.

She grabbed her yo-yo prepared to swing away when she felt something wet squish against her back. She reached behind her and pulled a rotten tomato off her suit, holding it out in front of her in disgust. " _Who threw that?"_ she frowned, scrunching up her nose. " _If Chloe's trying to pick a fight, I swear..."_

Ladybug turned around and saw an angry man holding a pile of old fruits and vegetables. She recognized him as the man she had accidentally handcuffed earlier although he was free now. He spat on the ground and pulled a mushy apple out of his arsenal. He wound up and chucked the apple as hard as he could at her.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" Chat Noir hissed as he jumped in front of Ladybug. The apple hit him and slid down his chest. He pointed his baton at the man, ready to pounce if necessary. He wasn't going to let anyone throw fruit at his princess.

"Get out of here!" the man sneered. "You magicians are the reason all these monsters are coming to Paris! I got attacked because of you! No one wants you!" The man threw another tomato which Chat Noir deflected with his baton. The black cat felt his blood begin to boil. He and Ladybug had just saved Paris once again and they were being criticized?

A crowd was beginning to form around the man. People started shouting nasty words and swears at the heroes. Some were starting to join in on the food fight, aiming directly for Chat Noir and Ladybug's faces.

"Just leave!"

"Go away!"

"Scram! Damn dirty magicians!"

Chat Noir hit away all the projectiles angrily. He was astonished by how ungrateful humans could be. He put his life on the line to protect them and this was how he got repaid? " _I never asked for this job,"_ Chat Noir growled. " _But I give it my all and I'm not going to let these losers take that away!"_

He was prepared to speak his mind when he felt a tug on his tail. Quickly, he turned around and saw Ladybug hiding behind him, staring at the ground nervously. Her shoulders were drooping and her bangs covered her eyes. Despite not being able to see her face well, Chat Noir could tell she was upset.

"Let's just go..." she whispered. It was obvious she was hurt by the people's words. But instead of being upset like Chat Noir, she felt guilty as if everything really were her fault. She was doing her best to protect people, but earlier she had made a mistake. She had let the akuma take victims.

"But..."

"No buts, Chat. They're not wrong so let's just leave." The chants of the crowd were ringing in her ears. Ladybug felt all her previous confidence dissipate. It's incredible how fast a few cruel words can affect a person. Her willpower to fight died and all she wanted to do was go home. People's hatred caught her off guard which made it sting even more.

"Everyone stop!"

The entire crowd went silent as the sound a familiar voice. Chloe Bourgeois burst from the alley way, her dress completely coated in dirt and muck. She looked angry like she was about to punch somebody. Marinette had seen that expression multiple times during lessons and never liked being on the other end of that.

Chloe huffed and pushed her hair out of her face. She walked up to the man who started the commotion and slapped the rotten fruit out of his hands. She leaned into his face and began to shout. "Just who do you think you are? These two saved your life for heaven's sake! Show some respect!"

"Who do you think you are?" the man snarled back. He towered above Chloe, but the girl showed no sign of backing down. She got onto her toes and pressed her finger against the man's chest in rage.

"I'm Chloe Bourgeois! The daughter of Andre Bourgeois! I'm sure you've heard of my daddy and have an idea of all the awful things he could do to you... all of you! So everyone here better take a hike before I have to get my daddy involved. Then you're all going to wish you had a magician on your side!"

Immediately, the crowd began to disperse. The man who started the fight scowled, but ran away. He didn't want to chance the Bourgeois powerhouse. The family was well known in politics as well as in the business realm. They had connections to everyone and everything. If they really wanted, they could ruin your life at the drop of a hat.

Once everyone had run off, Chloe walked over to the two heroes. Chat Noir felt his body tense as she approached the. She was shorter than him, but had more power in her pinky finger than he probably did in his whole miraculous.

Ladybug poked her head over Chat Noir's shoulder sheepishly. " _Why's she coming over here?"_ she wondered as she slowly walked out from behind Chat. " _I can't say I ever expected Chloe to defend me. I didn't know she had a kind bone in her entire body!"_

"Thank you for saving me," Chloe said in a hushed tone, keeping her head down. Ladybug noticed a faint blush on her cheeks and giggled. Chloe was embarrassed. In all the years she had known Chloe as Marinette, she didn't recall Chloe thanking anyone ever. She wanted to remember this scene forever.

"It was nothing," Chat Noir smiled, flipping his hair to the side. "Just a normal day for heroes like us." Then, he flashed Chloe a cheeky wink. Ladybug rolled her eyes. To call Chat Noir flamboyant would be an understatement.

Chloe looked up at Ladybug for some form of acknowledgement. The sincerness in her eyes was shocking and Ladybug knew she couldn't ignore Chloe any longer. She coughed and scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. "Yeah..." Ladybug said, unsure of what to say. "It's no big deal. I'm just glad you're safe."

"It's just that..." Chloe began. She bit her lip, a sad smile on her face. "No one's ever tried to help me since..." Her words stopped there, but Ladybug instantly knew what she was talking about or more specifically, who. The Prince's death hadn't only hit Marinette hard. Other people had been hurt as well.

Ladybug grabbed Chloe's hand and smiled. It was a genuine smile too. For the first time, she felt like she could sympathize with Chloe, who she had always considered her biggest enemy. "If you're ever in trouble, Chat Noir and I will come to save the day," Ladybug nodded. "I promise!"

Chloe's eyes went wide as her frown turned into a bright grin. "You'd better!" she laughed haughtily. "I'm counting on you. Now where did Sabrina run off too? I swear that girl can be absolutely useless and so can that father of hers. He's still lying on the ground over!"

Chat Noir and Ladybug turned back to the akuma victim. He was still sitting on the ground trying to figure out how he had gotten here. His daughter, Sabrina, was probably still running around Paris trying to find him. " _Poor guy..."_ Ladybug sighed. " _But Chat Noir and I really have to get going. Our time is almost up!"_

"You two need to leave, right?" Chloe asked. She motioned towards Ladybug's earrings and smiled. "I guess I can take care of Sabrina's dad for now. But next time, I don't want to be in charge of clean up!"

"You got it!"

There was another beep from Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses. They were on their last minute, so they really needed to leave. As Chloe walked away to helped the akuma victim, they took to the skies in hope of finding a good place to hide when they detransformed.

"She was nice," Chat Noir remarked as they bounded across the rooftops. "Intimidating, but nice."

"She's not like that all the time. You should see what she's like at lessons. I'd call her a walking nightmare," Ladybug laughed, thinking about all the times she and Chloe had gotten into fights. In fact, she knew that there were many more fights to come. But today, Chloe had proven that she wasn't always awful.

"Right down there by the pond!" Chat Noir exclaimed, stopping his tracks. "Here's a safe place." He jumped down into the soft grass on the edge of the water. Upon landing, there was a green flash and he returned to his cat form. At this size, the grass had grown almost as tall as him. He felt like a black shadow sneaking through a forest of green. It was kind of cool.

Ladybug followed him and quickly returned to being normal Marinette. Tikki flew out and entered Marinette's pocket with an exhausted sigh. She hadn't been expecting an akuma attack today and was starving like Chat Noir. When she got back to the bakery, Tikki planned on eating at least a dozen cookies.

"Stop fooling around," Marinette giggled as she picked up Chat Noir. "Now isn't the time to play. I thought you were hungry, remember?" Chat Noir nodded, his whiskers tickling the side of Marinette's arms. In this form, he was cute and cuddly which made it easier to forget how cheesy he really was. Sometimes Marinette preferred him this way.

She put him back down and explained they were going to go home. Once she dropped Tikki and Chat Noir off, she would run out to the store and pick up lunch for them. As she put it, they had "worked hard today and deserved a treat". Marinette planned on picking up something special for herself too. She was still feeling sad after hearing the mean things people said about her and Chat. A pick me up would do her some good.

As they walked, Chat Noir an uneasy expression on Marinette's face. She masked it with a smile, but Chat Noir could see right through it. " _She's still thinking about what all those people said,"_ he frowned. " _I should've said something to make her feel better before I transformed back. Damn! Being a cat can be so inconvenient. The one time I really have something to say, I don't have the mouth to say it."_

" _Isn't that the problem all the time. I have so many things to tell her, but I just don't know the words. I'm sure she doesn't understand how I feel. Though I'm not sure I understand how I feel. All I know is that I don't want to see her upset like this. Marinette takes everything to heart and is shouldering burdens that I don't know about. When she talked about that Adrien boy, I thought she was going to cry."_

" _I want to help, but I'm just a cat. I want to hold her with human hands and not worry about turning back. I want to be her support everyday without being treated like a pet. I'd give anything to be human like her. Then maybe... I could tell her..."_

Chat Noir rubbed up against Marinette's leg as a sign of comfort. She smiled back at him, but kept silent. He sighed to himself and thought, " _I could tell her that I love her."_


	12. Chapter 12

Marinette gathered her books and tossed them into her bag. It had been hard to find time to read _Cinderella_ between fighting yesterday's akuma and taking care of Chat Noir and Tikki. Miss Bustier had assigned the novel over a week ago, but Marinette had read the entire thing the night before. Life had become so muddled with all her new Ladybug duties. Her lessons were the last thing on her mind, but Marinette knew she had to make them a greater priority.

She was lucky to be able to attend lessons. Her tutor, Miss Bustier, was a friend of Marinette's mother. When she heard that Marinette wasn't able to attend proper schooling, she was appalled. It was normal for children to not be taught anything more than reading, writing, and simple arithmetic. Only the wealthy could afford an investment in education. However, Miss Bustier thought Marinette was too bright a girl to not expand her horizons. She offered to teach Marinette free of charge.

It was an opportunity too good to refuse. Since she had turned ten, Marinette traveled to Miss Bustier's house twice a week for lessons. They were her favorite part of the week. Miss Bustier taught her so many wonderful things like history, science, and literature. Marinette had never been much of a reader until Miss Bustier began to lend her books and introduced her to the library. After that, her world began to change.

Unfortunately, there was one downside to lessons. Marinette wasn't Miss Bustier's only student. When Marinette went to lessons, she was part of a larger class which was why Miss Bustier could afford to teach her for free.

There were many students in Marinette's class, but one in particular stood out: Chloe Bourgeois.

Chloe's father had her attend public classes so she could "get acquainted with the lower classes". As one might assume, this arrangement didn't please Chloe. Everyday when she came to class, she was in a bad mood. The one who usually suffered was her assistant, Sabrina, who was more like a maid than anything. Chloe wasn't afraid to complain or speak her mind which made classes a nightmare.

Marinette had learned, however, that Chloe wasn't all bad. Yesterday when everyone had ganged up on her and Chat Noir, Chloe was the only one that stood up for her. There was a sense of righteousness and justice in her heart. There was also a touch of sadness, something Marinette sympathized with.

" _I bet Chloe would lose her mind if she discovered I was Ladybug,"_ Marinette giggled as she packed up the rest of her things. " _The two of us get along like cats and dogs. She'd rather die before tell me thank you. If she knew the truth, her reaction would be hilarious!"_

"Where are you going?" Chat Noir asked with a pout. He crossed his arms and sat on top of Marinette's trap door, preventing her from leaving. "I thought we were going to do something fun today! You promised to take me to the pond so we could go fishing!" Chat Noir looked like a spoiled child, but he didn't want Marinette to leave. He missed her too much when she was gone.

"We'll do it after I get back from lessons," Marinette smiled, ruffling Chat Noir's hair. "But I can't skip class. I've already neglected my studies enough as is. I can't spend all my time being Ladybug. Can you please move so I can leave? I'm going to be late!" Her lessons started at noon and it was already 11:40.

"Can I come with you then? Please princess! I've never been to school before!" Chat Noir begged, his ears drooping. "I promise I'll be good! I'll stay quiet and listen to whatever you say!"

" _He's like a cat begging for food,"_ Marinette rolled her eyes, but his sad expression weakened her resolve. " _But I have a hard time saying no especially to that face. Why am I such a pushover?"_

"You can come," she sighed in defeat. "But you have to behave! You need to stay in my bag and I'd better not hear a single meow out of you. If anyone catches us, we're going to be in a world of trouble! And you can't come with looking like that, so you'd better transform."

Chat Noir nodded and a green light engulfed him. He returned to his cat form and trotted up to Marinette proudly. She lowered her bag and he hopped inside, letting out a purr to show his thanks. He had devious smirk on his face as well. Marinette knew she had been played. That silly cat had been planning to go with her the entire time.

With Chat Noir in her bag and five more minutes wasted, Marinette bolted downstairs and out the door, hoping she might arrive on time.

A few minutes later, Marinette busted into the classroom with only a minute to spare. She let out a sigh of relief as she headed towards her seat. Chat Noir, who was hiding in Marinette's bag, covered his mouth with his paws. Marinette's quick sprint had caused the bag to rock back and forth so he was feeling queasy. He didn't think Marinette would be very happy if he threw up in her bag.

"Look what the cat dragged in," a shrill voice called from behind Marinette. Chloe Bourgeois, accompanied by her "friend", Sabrina, gave the pigtailed girl a devilish smile. She put her hands on her hips saucily and laughed. "Did you make that dress yourself? I can tell. A monkey could do a better job."

Chat Noir's ears perked up at the sound of a familiar voice. " _That's the girl from yesterday!"_ he recalled. " _She doesn't sound so nice anymore. Why is she picking on Marinette? If I was human right now, I'd give her a piece of my mind! How can somebody be so two-faced?"_

"Really?" Marinette frowned, standing up. She slammed her hands on the desk and said, "Because I know you definitely couldn't do any better. You and a monkey must have more in common than I thought." She gave Chloe a sly smile and sat back down, proud of her comeback.

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed, but she said nothing. Instead, she huffed away and returned to her seat. Marinette was used to situations like these. Chloe was usually the first strike, but had a hard time keeping up with battle once it began. She was no match for Marinette's quick wit and sarcasm, making her an easy enemy to defeat. Still, fighting with her all the time got on Marinette's nerves.

The blonde always went out of her way to ruin Marinette's day. If they passed each other in the streets, Chloe would make snide comments. In class, she felt the need to criticize Marinette's every move. And Marinette wasn't her only victim either. Chloe picked on everyone from children to adults. She spared no mercy which resulted in lots of people getting hurt. That much was obvious by the akumatized monster she had unknowingly created almost two weeks ago.

"Everyone settle down," Miss Bustier announced as she clapped her hands. Her eyes narrowed down on Chloe specifically. "Let's promptly begin with our discussion of Cinderella. It's a classic fairy tale with a bit of a gruesome edge, but let's focus on the positives for now. I want to hear everyone's thoughts on the ending. How about we start with Miss Bourgeois?"

"Utterly ridiculous," Chloe scoffed, holding the book up as if it were a piece of trash. "There's no way a Prince would ever take in a commoner like Cinderella. It's unrealistic. Besides, how is it possible to fall in love with somebody after one night? They hardly even knew each other. How could they be in love?"

"You bring up a valid point. Love at first sight seems unrealistic to some, yet it's a reality for others. What do you think, Marinette?"

Marinette thought back to her reaction to the ending. Unlike Chloe, she believed in the power of true love. Deep down, she believed that the Prince loved Cinderella with all his heart. He didn't care that she was a commoner and she didn't care that he was a prince. All that mattered was that they had each other.

When reading, Marinette had put herself in place of Cinderella and Prince Adrien in the obvious role of Prince Charming. She dreamed of their happy ending, going so far as to imagine the wedding scene. But when she finished the final page, her sweet fairytale turned to a grim reality. Her dreams were impossible, but at least Cinderella got a happy ending. Marinette learned to be content with that.

"I think it's a wonderful ending," Marinette retorted. "The Prince and Cinderella really love each other and that's something to be valued. It might seem unrealistic, but love works in unexplainable ways. Sometimes it just happens and there's nothing you can do to stop it. You're even willing to take desperate measures to meet your true love like in Prince Charming's case."

"Another excellent point!" Miss Bustier smiled. "I see you both did your reading. It's lovely to have such engaged students. Now onto our next question..."

The conversation took a turn for the dull and boring, losing Marinette's interest. She tried to pay attention, but Miss Bustier was talking about things Marinette had already countless times in her books. The history of literature wasn't the most interesting topic. Her teacher wouldn't be too mad if she took the time to doodle, right?

Marinette pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. She began to sketch the fantasy that had been brewing in her head since she finished _Cinderella._ She drew a girl in a gorgeous, white gown. Her hair was let down, reaching her shoulders. She was holding hands with a handsome man who had a crown on his head. The man was smiling, delighted to be by the girl's side. To anyone else, it might have looked like a little girl's drawing of a prince and princess, but it wasn't that simple. That princess was Marinette and the prince was Prince Adrien. The entire scene was covered in white roses.

Marinette planned on finishing her masterpiece when Miss Bustier began walking through the aisles. Not wanting to get caught, Marinette shoved the illustration into her bag and pretended to be involved in the discussion. She didn't want to be scolded.

Chat Noir was startled by Marinette's hand as a piece of paper fell in front of his face. " _What's this?"_ he wondered as he examined the image. " _Did Marinette make this? I didn't know she was such a daydreamer. This is obviously her dressed up like a princess, but who's this other guy?"_

A strange pain burned in the bottom of his stomach as Chat Noir stared down Marinette's "Prince Charming". " _I'm sure he's nobody. She probably just doodled a stereotypical prince to satisfy the scenario. But that face... I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before."_ Chat Noir frowned as he racked his brain, trying to remember. And then it hit him.

" _I have seen that boy before! He's the boy from that picture in Marinette's room. I knew his face looked familiar. Why does she keep drawing him? It's clearly not Nino, but she's never mentioned anyone else. Unless he's that boy she wouldn't talk to me about before... wasn't his name Adrien?"_ The burning sensation began to feel stronger.

" _Who is this guy and why won't Marinette talk to me about him? I'm starting to get suspicious. I thought we were partners. Why wouldn't she tell me about this? I don't want to keep anymore secrets and I'd like to give this boy a piece of my mind! He's the reason Marinette keeps getting upset!"_

Just seeing Adrien's face made his tail tense. He felt uneasy and upset. With a growl, Chat Noir took his claws and scratched out Prince Charming's face. " _It looks much better this way,"_ he thought proudly before he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

" _Wait... I just destroyed Marinette's drawing! Argh! I shouldn't have done that. She's going to be mad when she finds out. I couldn't help it though! I was feeling... jealous."_

" _Jealous?"_

It was the first time Chat Noir had ever felt this new emotion and he didn't like it. His insides felt jumbled and if he was in his human form, he knew his cheeks would be bright red from blushing. Marinette imagined this boy as her Prince Charming, but Chat Noir didn't want to believe Marinette was in love with someone else. He prayed that it couldn't be true because he knew as a cat, he could never compete with her handsome Prince Charming.

"That's all for today," Miss Bustier said, giving her students a friendly wave. "You're all dismissed. Make sure to have the next story finished for next week. Please be safe on your way home."

Chat Noir felt Marinette pick up the bag and was excited to talk to her. Sitting in a bag for an hour had been dreadfully boring. He had been listening to the conversation, but didn't have much interest in fairytales. Anyways, most of his mind had been consumed by jealously and he needed something to shake that away. Marinette could make him feel better anytime.

As Marinette headed towards the door, Chloe and Sabrina shoved their way in front of her. Chloe leaned against the door, keeping it shut. "What's that you've got hiding in your bag?" she snickered, eyeing Marinette's bag. "I saw it so don't try and lie."

" _Did she see Chat Noir?"_ Marinette worried as she bit her lip. " _She's not really threatening me then. Miss Bustier would be upset if she found out I snuck a cat into class, but it's not like it would be the end of the world. Does Chloe really think she can intimidate me with just that?"_

"It's no big deal," Marinette shrugged, trying to push her way past Chloe. "But I don't see why it's any of your business."

"If it's no big deal then you won't mind me sneaking a peek!"

Chloe suddenly reached into Marinette's bag and fumbled around. Chat Noir was startled by another hand, but this time it wasn't Marinette's. The nails were painted bright yellow and the strong, nauseating of perfume filled the air. Definitely not Marinette.

Chat Noir huddled himself into the corner of the bag to avoid getting touched. The hand grabbed Marinette's illustration and pulled it out before Chat Noir had a chance to stop it. " _Not good!"_ he thought as he watched the drawing get taken away. He tried to grab it with his paws, but he was too slow.

"It looks like Marinette's been playing princess," Chloe laughed as she showed Sabrina the drawing. "And who's her Prince Charming? He must've been ugly. His face has been completely scratched out! Even in her dreams Marinette can't catch a cute guy!"

"Give that back!" Marinette shouted, seizing the picture from Chloe's hands. " _I didn't think she was talking about my drawing,"_ she blushed as she held the illustration with shaking hands. " _Nobody was supposed to see this. And what did she do to Adrien's face? She scratched it out! That's despicable even for her!"_

"Why did you do that? I know you don't like me, but why did you have to destroy my drawing?" Marinette argued. The apparent vandalism on her artwork sent her into a rage. She wasn't going to let someone deface Prince Adrien and get away with it.

"What are you talking about?" Chloe huffed. "It didn't do anything to it."

"Don't try and hide it! I wasn't the one who did this. I thought you were better than that. I thought you cared about Prince Adrien more than anyone else. Why would you ruin his picture like that?" Marinette balled her fists and gave Chloe an angry glare. She wasn't going to let Chloe win this time.

At mention of Prince Adrien's name, Chloe went silent. Marinette and Sabrina noticed her entire aura change. Her voice began to waver as she whispered, "That's none of your business."

"It actually is my business. I'm still upset about his death too, but you didn't have to wipe out his face. You should really think about other people's feelings sometimes!"

"Shut up! I didn't do it! And what's a commoner like you doing drawing Prince Adrien anyways?" Chloe snapped. "Do you honestly think he'd ever give you the time of day? He was a great Prince and you're just the daughter of a stupid baker. You could only watch him from afar while he and I were best friends. How could you ever understand how we felt about each other?"

Chat Noir noticed that the fight was getting particularly intense. He stuck his head out the bag and saw Marinette's dark expression. It was a mixture of sadness and anger. She was gritting her teeth and looked ready to bite Chloe's head off. Chloe's face wasn't much different. The topic was clearly tense for both of them. If someone didn't intervene soon, the situation might get out of hand.

" _This is my fault,"_ Chat Noir thought guiltily as he pawed his way out of the bag. " _I'm the one who ruined that picture and upset Marinette. I need to do something!"_

He jumped onto the floor, startling the three girls. He pushed open the door with his nose and ran into the hall. Marinette watched him run away with wide eyes while Chloe screamed, "Ew! It's a cat! Where'd it come from?" She stomped her feet like a scared baby and jumped onto a nearby chair. She held onto Sabrina for dear life as if a simple house cat was going to harm her.

As Marinette reached for the handle, the doors swung open to reveal a now human Chat Noir. He had his signature smile plastered on and winked at Marinette. " _Relax princess,"_ Chat Noir thought as he shut the door. " _Your real Prince Charming has come to save the day and sweep you off your feet."_

" _What is he doing?"_ Marinette panicked, pulling on her pigtails. " _I told him to stay in the bag! Why did he transform?"_

"No need to be frightened," Chat Noir bowed as he stood in front of Chloe. "This cat means you no harm. Let me help you down." He offered his hand to Chloe and helped her step down from the chair. The spoiled girl turned her head away, trying to hide her blush. Sabrina watched the entire scene in awe, wondering who this man that managed to silence Chloe Bourgeois could be.

"Chat Noir!" Marinette exclaimed, pretending to be surprised. "What are you doing here? Is there a problem?" Chat Noir sensed a sharp edge in her voice and knew he was going to be in big trouble when they got home.

"I just wanted to check up on Miss Chloe here," he smiled. "I'm sure you read today's paper and heard about that akuma attack. I wanted to make sure she didn't have any cuts or bruises. Not to mention, I wanted the chance to see your fine artwork." He reached over and stole Marinette's drawing from her hands. "It's wonderful! I don't see why you girls need to argue over that."

"Chat, give it back!"

"As if I cared about that girl's art skills," Chloe retorted angrily. "What I'm upset about is Prince Adrien! How dare she draw him and then ruin it like that? The audacity of poor people always shocks me."

Marinette grabbed the illustration from Chat's paws and shoved it in her bag. "So it's somehow my fault now?" she cried. "This is stupid. Why am I even fighting with you about this? I thought maybe you might be the only who understood how I felt considering the relationship you and the Prince had, but I guess I was wrong. You can't sympathize with people, you heartless witch!"

"Can we talk more about this Prince Adrien person?" Chat Noir interjected, putting a hand on both Chloe and Marinette's shoulders. "I've got a few questions like who is he and why, Marinette, are you drawing pictures of the two of you holding hands?" Maybe with Chloe putting Marinette under pressure, Chat might finally get Marinette to tell him about this mysterious boy. He couldn't let this jealously infest him any longer. He couldn't let Marinette be plagued by this strange sadness either.

"That's none of your business!" Marinette grabbed Chat Noir by the ear, yanking his head down. "Why do you keep bringing it up? Get off my back! I told you it was no big deal!"

"It clearly is a big deal!" Chat Noir shouted back, pulling himself away from Marinette. "I don't like seeing you upset whenever someone mentions that guy's name. I want to help you, but I can't do that unless you tell me who he is. And I want to know at least know who my rival is!"

"Your rival?"

"Ignore that! What I'm saying is that I'm not going to let you burden yourself with these heavy emotions. I can be your support if you'd just let me! So why won't you tell me anything?"

Marinette opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. " _I'm not trying to keep secrets,"_ she thought. " _I just don't want to talk about it. It was hard enough to open up to Alya. How could I tell Chat Noir?"_

"Chat..."

"How about we wrap up this little quarrel?" Miss Bustier exclaimed, running up to her students. "There's no need to fight. You girls are usually able to work out your differences, but it seems today is getting out of hand. Monsieur... Noir, it's kind of you to stop by and check on Miss Bourgeois, but there's no need to get involved in these girls' private affairs. I'm sure they can handle it without the assistance of a hero like yourself."

"Oh... sorry," Chat Noir apologized. He had forgotten that he was still in the middle of a classroom. All of the students must be confused by his presence and personal argument with Marinette. He hoped his rashness wouldn't get her into more trouble. "I'll be leaving then. I'm glad everyone's doing okay. And it was nice to meet you for the first time... Marinette."

His lie was so awful that he doubted anyone in the room would buy it. Everyone watched him as he slipped out the door, shutting it behind him. In the hall, he transformed back into his cat form and waited patiently outside the door for Marinette, preparing himself for the worst.

"Do you know him?" Miss Bustier asked as Chat Noir fled the room. "That was a rather... odd conversation."

"Nope!" Marinette shook her head vigorously. "I've never met the guy in my life. He's always in the papers though with Ladybug! That sure was nice of him to check on Chloe. Wow! Look at the time. I have to go bake bread... or something. I'll see you in class next week, Miss Bustier."

She ran out the door before anyone could stop her. She spotted Chat Noir waiting for her and quickly picked him up. He struggled a bit, but allowed Marinette put him in her bag. He let out an annoyed meow, but shut his mouth when he saw Marinette's face. In the corner of her eyes were small tears, threatening to fall.

" _Now I've really done it,"_ Chat Noir moaned. " _I'll send myself out to the dogs. I hurt her more than helped her. God, I'm such an idiot. So much for Prince Charming..."_

Marinette left the building and walked in silence until she reached the pond from yesterday. It was a small pond with only a few fish so there was never anybody around. She took her bag off and let Chat Noir walk out. She said nothing to him as she pulled her knees to her chest, staring out at the water.

There was a flash of green light and Chat Noir leaned his body against hers. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, begging for forgiveness. "I didn't mean to make things worse. I just didn't want you to get into a huge fight especially since everything was my fault." He took a deep breath as he confessed. "Chloe didn't destroy your picture. I did it."

Marinette glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know..." Chat Noir sighed. "I got... I got jealous, alright? I'm sick and tired of hearing about this Prince Adrien, but not knowing anything about him. He makes you upset and that's not okay. I'm here to be your partner, your protection. You can trust me. I tried to ignore how jealous I'm feeling, but I can't!"

"You're right," Marinette smiled sadly. "I haven't told you anything. I'm not trying to be vague or mysterious about this. It's just that talking about it is hard for me. The story isn't as simple as telling you about a person. The only person I've ever told is Alya and she found out over a year later. I don't know if I'm ready to open up."

"Marinette..."

"But I won't keep a secret forever. One day, I'll work up the courage to tell you everything. And on that day, I think I'll finally be able to move. The past is just that. I don't want this to hang over me for the rest of my life. So Chat... can you wait until then?"

Chat Noir slowly nodded his head. "For you, I'd wait an eternity," he said, kissing her hand. "I didn't consider your feelings and that was wrong. I won't pry anymore. My jealousy is my own problem."

"Why are you jealous?"

"No reason!"

Chat Noir felt his cheeks heat up. He gave Marinette a wide smile, causing her to burst into a fit of giggles. Small tears formed, but this time, they were from laughter. Marinette wiped one away and said, "You silly cat! No matter how hard I try, I don't think I'll ever be able to understand."

"They say cats are mysterious creatures. I'm quite an enigma."

"What a liar! You're an open book! I don't think you could ever hide a smile."

"Guilty as charged," Chat Noir grinned. He wrapped his arms around Marinette and gave her a hug. "Is everything all better then?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, everything's all better," Marinette sighed. "But you really do have to stop transforming like that. That was the second time you've almost gotten us caught. What would I tell my parents if we got arrested for being akuma fighting magicians?" She playfully punched Chat in the shoulder.

"I'll be more careful," Chat Noir promised.

Marinette stood up and brushed the dirt off her dress. "Good. Now that we've got that settled, we should catch ourselves some dinner. I promised you earlier, right? And I never go back on a promise. Tikki, do you want to come out and fish too?"

Tikki zoomed out of Marinette's pocket with a cheer. "Yep! I'm going to catch the biggest fish out there!"

"You think you can beat a cat at his own game?" Chat Noir said, raising an eyebrow. "I'd like to see you try. You're on!" Chat Noir leaned over the water and stared at it intensely, waiting for his prey to arrive. His tail swished back and forth like a lion on the hunt. Tikki sat next to him, doing the same. They were in full-blown competition mode.

"In this neighborhood, I'm known as a fishing champ," Chat Noir gloated. "Every alley cat in the area bows down to me. Watch and learn!"

He watched the water and saw a small ripple in the distance. He licked his fangs and tensed his muscles, ready to bounce. The ripple got a bit larger as something bobbed on top of the water. An unsuspecting fish was coming to the surface.

Chat Noir pounced and leaped into the water, splashing Tikki and Marinette. "Gotcha!" he cried as he stuck his face underwater. He came back up, soaking wet, with a struggling fish in his mouth. It was a large fish too, big enough to feed at least three people. He proudly exited the water and dropped the fish into his lap.

"Told ya! I've had lots of practice!" Chat Noir laughed.

"But now you're a wet mess," Marinette sighed. "If I had known you were going to go swimming I would have brought a towel. Just look at you! You can't dive in like that in your human form!"

"Whoops! Sorry, my lady. I just got a little excited. It's hard to hold this cat back."

"Can you find a way to dry off? I can't get close to you when you're completely soaked."

"Sure thing!" Chat Noir shook his head, letting water shake off.

Marinette held up her hands to block the water. "Now you're getting me wet! Stop it!" She tried to scold him, but her words quickly turned into giggles.

"You don't like getting wet?" Chat Noir asked as he ran back towards the pond. "Then you probably don't like getting splashed!" He jumped into the pond and splashed water onto Marinette's dress. Tikki tried to stifle her laughs as the two teens got into an all out water fight.

"You're going to pay for that!" Marinette smiled as she ran into the pond after Chat Noir. She splashed him with water and created a giant wave, knocking him down. All the nearby fish swam away, scared by strangers playing around in their pond.

The water hit Chat Noir directly in the face. With a howl of laughter, he lunged at Marinette and grabbed her, hoisting her high into the air onto her shoulders. "You can't escape now!" he smiled, holding her tight. He fell backwards, knocking them both into the water. Marinette let out a playful scream as she became submerged.

She came back to the surface and pushed back her wet hair. For a moment, Chat Noir stopped, in awe with how beautiful the water made her look. The small droplets of water reflected the light of the sun against her skin. With her hair slicked back, he saw her entire face for the first time. He could make out all the tiny freckles that dotted her nose. The bright blueness of her eyes matched with the calm blue of the pond, making her seem like a true lady of the lake.

" _She's stunning..."_ Chat Noir thought, his heart rate increasing. He prepared a pick-up line when he was hit with another spray of water.

"That's what happens when you're too slow!" Marinette grinned. "Now look at the both of us. We're going to go home wet to the bone. You'd better catch another fish to make this all worth it. I'm going to get out and dry off in the sun." She waded out of the water and laid down in the grass. Playing around in the water had exhausted her. Chat Noir, on the other hand, was still filled with energy.

She watched him play around in the pond like a happy child. He was spinning in circles, creating mini tidal waves with his paws. " _He's so cute,"_ she thought as she watched Chat take another dive with Tikki. " _He can really turn my mood around. I'm grateful to have him by my side. I don't know what I'd do without him. I really need that silly cat."_


	13. Chapter 13

**I meant to post this yesterday, but accidentally fell asleep! Oops!**

 **Anyways, please enjoy this chapter and Happy New Year! I hope your year is miraculous!**

* * *

A few nights later, Marinette had the scariest nightmare of her life.

 _She was in a dark space and it was impossible to see. The air was thick and she was having difficulty breathing. There was an unseen weight on her chest, restricting her lungs. To keep herself calm, Marinette closed her eyes and tried humming. She sat down and pulled her knees up, grabbing at the corners of her dress. If she kept her eyes closed, she wouldn't be able to see anything and then, maybe nothing could hurt her._

" _Ladybug..." an ominous voice whispered. The sound tickled her ear like it's voice was coming from right next to her. But when she swatted at her ear, there was nothing. Marinette's eyes shot open and she quickly jumped to her feet, shaking._

" _W-who's there?" she stammered, frantically turning her head. If there was someone nearby, it would be impossible to see them. The room was so dark Marinette couldn't even see her own hands. Someone could be lurking behind her and she wouldn't notice._

" _Your miraculous... give it to me," the voice hissed, growing increasingly irritated._

" _No! I won't give it to anyone. Who are you?"_

" _Give it to me."_

" _No! Get away!"_

 _A gloved hand shot out of the darkness and seized Marinette's arm. Its grip was tight and twisted at her skin. Marinette struggled to escape, but with no luck. She dug her nails into the hand, but it seemed to feel no pain. It was like an unbreakable iron chain, keeping her trapped in place._

" _Let go!" Marinette screamed, desperately trying to pull the hand off her. "Help! Somebody please! Chat Noir! Anyone please help!" Her cries were met with silence. There was no one in the world who could hear her._

" _Give me your miraculous." A dull, purple light began to glow in the shape of a butterfly only a few centimeters from Marinette's face. "I want your miraculous."_

" _Never!"_

" _Then so be it..."_

 _All of a sudden, the void was filled with screams of terror. Visions danced past Marinette's eyes. Her parents being attacked by a giant, stone beast with the bakery in shambles behind them. Nino and Alya running for their lives while being slashed at by a rogue guard. A bloodied Chat Noir lying on the ground, half dead, begging for her to be at his side._

" _Stop this!" Marinette sank to the floor and covered her ears, but the sounds didn't get any quieter. She could hear the cries of her loved ones vividly. They were beginning to mix into one terrifying cacophony. "Stop it! Please just stop!" Her mind felt overloaded. It might split at any second._

"Marinette... Marinette! Are you okay?"

Marinette felt a warm hand press against her back, shaking her awake. She turned to see a worried Chat Noir hanging over her. His green eyes glowed against the darkness of the night. He sat down on the bed and smiled at her. "You were screaming and shaking. You even kicked the blankets off your bed. Did you have a nightmare?"

"Yeah, but I'm fine..." Marinette blushed in embarrassment. She hadn't expected Chat Noir to watch over her like this. Normally she was the one playing parent, not the other way around. Still, she was glad to have him by her side. All her fears vanished once she saw his face. Her nightmare wasn't so scary anymore. Perhaps he was a better good luck charm than she was.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm really fine. Sorry for waking you up. It's the middle of the night."

"Not a problem, my lady. If you're in trouble, I'll always be there, day or night."

"Go back to sleep, you flirt," Marinette giggled, hitting Chat Noir with her pillow. He laughed and put his hands up in defeat. There was a green flash and Chat Noir jumped back onto the ground in cat form, curling up on the pillow Marinette had set out for him. Satisfied that Chat was back to sleep, Marinette pulled her covers back up and snuggled against her pillow. Hopefully, she would be able to fall back asleep.

A few hours later, Marinette awoke to something furry rubbing against her leg. She opened her eyes and found Chat Noir sleeping on her bed. " _When did he get up here?"_ Marinette thought groggily. She slowly sat up, using her pillow to keep herself upright, and poked Chat Noir in the stomach. He hardly moved, a sign that he was still deep asleep. " _He must've been really tired last night... I shouldn't wake him."_

Marinette stretched her arms out with a yawn, then carefully peeled back the blankets to avoid waking up Chat Noir. She stepped out of her bed and grabbed a red dress from the closet, changing out of her nightgown. As she changed, Tikki began to stir and flew over to wish her friend good morning.

"Good morning, Marinette!" Tikki smiled, flying in circles around the girl. "It's it a lovely morning!"

"You've only just woken up," Marinette giggled, amused by Tikki's optimism. "But try to keep your voice down. Chat is still asleep. He seems exhausted. I wonder why..."

"It's because he was up all night watching you! When you went back to sleep after your nightmare, he was worried and sat on your bed the entire night. When he jumped back onto the bed, he accidentally woke me up and I saw him. He watched you for a long time. I'm surprised he fell asleep since he was so diligent."

" _Dumb cat,"_ Marinette smiled as she glanced back at Chat Noir. " _It was only a nightmare. You didn't have to worry about me like that."_ She was amazed at how far Chat Noir was willing to go for her. He always listened to her instructions when they fought, a sign of his unconditional trust. It was like a pet protecting its master though Marinette didn't see their relationship that way. Cat or not, she and Chat Noir were equals. She considered him her greatest ally and trusted him more than anyone in the world. He took that friendship to a new level.

"If he's still sleeping, I'll let him rest a bit longer," Marinette continued as she tied her hair up into a bun, wrapping a red ribbon around to keep it tight. "That nightmare really bothered me, so I can't sit here today and do nothing. I'm going back to the library to see if I can find any leads on Hawk Moth. I don't like the idea of him roaming free around Paris. We need to try to pin him down."

"But you know Chat Noir doesn't like to be left alone."

"I know, but he needs a day to himself. He's done so much for me. He needs time to relax. Besides, if he knew why I was going to the library, he'd only get worried. I won't trouble him with my own problems."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'll make sure to leave out some water and snacks for him before we go. I'll write a note too, just in case something happens. It'll be good for him to take a break, so don't worry." Marinette grabbed a piece of paper off her desk and quickly scribbled a note to Chat Noir.

 _Went to the library with Tikki. Be back in a bit._

 _Marinette_

Marinette ran downstairs and came back with a bowl of water and a handful of treats. "These should tide him over until we get back," she said, setting the food and water down by the desk. "He still might be sleeping when we return. The poor kitty looks exhausted." Marinette felt guilty about keeping him awake all night.

She grabbed her purse and let Tikki inside. To Tikki's joy, there were already freshly baked cookies waiting for her. Marinette headed to the kitchen and told her parents she was off to the library again. They mentioned how impressed they were by her dedication to her studies to which Marinette simply nodded and then quickly ran out the door. Lying to her parents was getting harder and harder.

With a spring in her step, Marinette walked to the library. She wasn't exactly sure what to look for this time. The magic book from before didn't offer any information on Hawk Moth, but that didn't mean another book wouldn't.

Marinette went in the front doors of the library, but was disappointed to see that librarian on duty wasn't the same one before. The other lady had been helpful while this one looked old and bitter. Marinette made a mental note to stay far away from her.

" _There's gotta be something in one of these books,"_ Marinette affirmed. " _Maybe there's a kind of tracking magic I can research. Then, Chat Noir and I could hunt Hawk Moth down. The magic section seems to be my best bet. I'll check there first."_

She weaved through the rows of shelves on the way to the magic section when she heard two familiar voices bickering from behind one of the bookshelves.

"Is this really your idea of a date? I thought we were going to do something fun."

"This is fun. I'm doing research for my article. What could be more fun than that?"

"I can think of a few things..."

"Hmph. I thought you'd be excited to help, but I guess not. You're always welcome to go home."

"N-No! I'll stay... since you asked me out and everything."

Marinette turned the corner to discover a blushing Nino and Alya digging through a stack of books. Nino was sitting on stool, probably bored out of his mind, though he was trying to contain his embarrassment at the moment. Alya wasn't even watching him while speaking. She was too engrossed in her books.

"What are you guys doing here?" Marinette called out, starling both Nino and Alya.

"Marinette?" Alya smiled, standing up. "Isn't this a grand coincidence? Nino and I were doing some research for my upcoming Ladybug article."

"Correction," Nino interjected, holding up his finger. "You are doing research. I'm sitting here waiting for you to finish since you told me this was going to be a date."

"He's trying to act mad and manly," Alya whispered to Marinette. "But you should've seen his face when I asked him out. He looked like a lovesick schoolgirl. I thought he might melt into my arms."

"I can hear you!"

"So you can vouch that it was true. Don't be snippy with me, Nino Lahiffe, or this date is cancelled. We'll go out later, but we had to make this little detour first. You know, it would be better to help out the girl of your dreams instead of complaining to her if you want to earn brownie points."

Nino spun around on his stool, so his back was to the girls. Marinette assumed it was in an effort to conceal how utterly flustered he was. He was trying to play it cool, but ultimately failing. Alya was a tough match. She tickled his heart in a way no one else could and definitely used that to her advantage. Not to say she didn't love him. She absolutely did, but sometimes Ladybug had to come first.

"So why are you here, Marinette?" Alya asked.

The suddenness of the question caught Marinette off guard. "O-Oh! Me? I'm actually looking up information on Ladybug too for... lessons! Yeah, lessons..."

"We can work together then. Three sets of hands are better than two!"

"I don't think one of those sets is willing to work though," Marinette giggled, nodding her head in Nino's direction.

"He'll come around eventually," Alya laughed, kneeling back down beside her pile of books. "You can start looking through this pile. Good luck though. We haven't found anything yet. Maybe looking in the history section would yield better results. Nino, can you go check the history books?"

"It would be my pleasure," Nino grumbled as he jumped off his stool. He left the girls alone and headed towards the history section. In his head, he prayed that he might find some book of value. Maybe then Alya would let them leave. He had dressed up in his best clothes for this date and even prepared to say those three magic works. However, a library was not the ideal romantic destination he had been hoping for.

"You've really gotten into this Ladybug stuff, haven't you?" Marinette asked as she cracked open a book.

"Well not only is it giving me work, but it's so interesting too. At first I thought she and Chat Noir were normal magicians, but I talked to an old man who told me that their magic is legendary and passed down through the ages. That means there were other Ladybugs in the past. It's exactly the type of story people are looking for!"

"A history lesson?"

"Not just that, but the true identity of Ladybug. That mask keeps her face hidden, so no one knows who she really is. Why would you keep your identity a secret though when you're the hero of Paris?"

"Not everyone loves her as much as you do. I heard that mob tried to attack her and Chat Noir the other day."

"For real? Some people are just ungrateful. She and Chat Noir are heroes. Without them, Paris would be a pile of rubble by now! These crazy monsters are getting out of hand. First Stoneheart, then the Pigeon man-"

"And that weird Rogercop."

Alya raised an eyebrow. "I didn't hear about this one," she smiled, leaning in close to Marinette. "Care to share the story?"

"Another time," Marinette laughed as she pushed Alya back. "I don't know all the details. I just heard it from somebody else."

"Darn. It looks like I need to step up my game. There are other people trying to publish stories about Ladybug, but mine are going to be the best. I need more information though. Like their origins or where these monsters are coming from."

"That's what I'd like to know too," Marinette agreed. "I'm sure there's one person behind it, but who could that one person be? Where could they be?"

"I was thinking the same thing!" Alya nodded, setting aside another book. "These monsters or akuma are all similar and seem to be after Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses. Someone is clearly out to steal their magic, but they must be a pretty powerful magician in their own right."

"There's not much to go off either. We'll be lucky if even one of these books has any information. I came here the other day and found virtually nothing." Marinette paused for a minute and thought, " _Okay, that's not completely true. But I can't tell Alya that I found a magical book filled with the entire history of Chat Noir and Ladybug except it can only be opened by me, Ladybug, and my pet cat, Chat Noir, who also has the power to turn into a human. Nope! I'm not going to utter a word."_

"Really?" Alya sighed, her glasses almost falling off her nose. She pushed them back up and said, "It looks like we won't have much luck then. I could sit here forever, but I did promise Nino a date and I was looking forward to it. I think he might confess today!"

"You think so?" Marinette gasped. "That's so exciting! Alya, I'm so happy for you." She leaned over and gave her best friend a hug. Marinette had been cheering them on from the start and was ecstatic to see things move further than friends. "Promise me you'll confess too, alright?"

"Alright," smiled Alya as she began to pack up her books. "I'm just as nervous about it as he is, but I have a better poker face. Good luck with your research for lessons. Don't work yourself too hard."

"I won't!"

Alya turned to leave, but accidentally stumbled on a book left on the ground. She bent down to pick it up, reading off the title. " _Magical Monsters Through Literature_? Sounds like a snooze, but it might have some info on those monsters if you want to take a look, Marinette." She handed it to Marinette who took it carefully.

"You know," Alya continued, tapping her finger to her chin. "Talking about those strange monsters, isn't it strange that the king hasn't done anything about them yet?"

"What do you mean?"

"He hasn't publicly come out and discussed them even though it's clear they're a big problem. Usually he's really good about that stuff. Remember when there was that awful trolley accident downtown? The king had a speech prepared and an action plan within the day. It's odd for him to be so silent."

" _That is unusual for him,"_ Marinette thought. " _People have almost gotten hurt and property has been destroyed yet he hasn't mentioned a word. Why wouldn't he say anything? Unless..."_

"Alya, you're a genius!" Marinette exclaimed, quickly standing up. "You've just given me the lead I'm looking for!"

"Your welcome... I think? What's gotten you riled up?"

"I don't have much time to talk, but enjoy your date!" Marinette stuffed her books back into the shelf and sprinted away. She had important news for Chat Noir and needed to make a detour by the palace. They were finally one step closer to closing in on Hawk Moth if her hunch was correct.

"I'll try!" Alya called to her friend. "And Marinette?"

"Yeah?" Marinette shouted back, skidding to a stop.

"That bun looks great on you." Alya winked and waved her friend good-bye.

Marinette smiled and then continued her race out of the library, ignoring the scolding from the mean librarian at the front desk. In the distance not far from the library, Marinette could see the palace in all its glory. That was where she needed to go next.

Dodging her way through the hoards of people, Marinette found herself at the palace's front gate. It was five meters tall and made of iron and steel. There were guards on either side, not including the ones working all throughout the palace. The wall surrounding the palace was decorated with sharp, metal tips. It was a lovely architectural choice, but was made to keep criminals out. Despite it's beauty, the palace was a fortress to protect the king. Nobody unwanted could get in. And if they did, they certainly weren't getting out.

" _Hawk Moth must be in there, I'm sure of it,"_ Marinette thought as she grabbed the bars of the gate. She tried to peek through, but wasn't expecting to see anything. The guards exchanged curious glances at her, but didn't think much of her. How could a little girl do anything dangerous?

" _Could he be threatening the king?"_ Marinette wondered, now pacing through the area. " _King Gabriel spends his time in there alone so if somebody threatened him, would anyone notice? Could this be a corruption scandal? I still don't have enough information yet, but at least I know where to look."_

" _The problem is how to get into the palace. Even if I ask politely, these guards won't let me in. I could sneak in as Ladybug, but it's still risky. I don't want Chat Noir to get hurt either. We'll need to make a plan once I get back home. We can end this fight soon! I need to talk to Chat right away!"_

Chat Noir was woken up by his peaceful slumber by the slamming of the trap door and Marinette's triumphant cries. "Chat! Chat! Wake up! This is important!" Marinette shouted. Chat's eyes flickered open as he let out a tired meow. Staying up all night had taken its toll. He felt awful. His entire body ached all over and he had a raging headache, but for his lady, anything was worth it.

"Calm down!" Tikki cried as she flew out of Marinette's pocket. "You'll frighten him!"

"I'm fine..." Chat Noir yawned, turning into his human form. "What's got your tail in a twist?"

Marinette clapped her hands together excitedly and plopped onto the bed besides Chat Noir. "Well," she began. "I went to the library to do some research on Hawk Moth and-"

"Wait... You left without me?"

"I wanted you to get some sleep," Marinette confessed. "You looked tired so I let you sleep. You need a break now and then too. You aren't a supercat."

" _Wasn't much of a break since I feel awful,"_ Chat Noir chuckled to himself. " _I'll spend the rest of the day lounging around if she's offering though. I used to spend most of my time lying in the sun, but fighting akuma and being with Marinette has consumed almost all that free time."_

"Anyways," continued Marinette. "I think I might have some more information on his whereabouts."

"Seriously? C'mon, spill!"

"I think he might be hiding in the palace, possibly threatening the king. Normally King Gabriel is extremely active when it comes to Paris's problems, but he hasn't mentioned anything about these akuma attacks. Something's fishy and we need to find out what. Even if it doesn't have to do with Hawk Moth, the King still could be in trouble. We're going to have to sneak into the palace!"

"Back up a minute," Chat Noir said, holding up a paw. "You want to what? We can't sneak into the palace. Isn't that where royalty lives? Shouldn't there be a bajillion guards?"

"Yes, but we're Ladybug and Chat Noir," Marinette argued. "It'll be a piece of cake."

"I don't know... It sounds dangerous especially if we're just going off a hunch." Chat Noir frowned and put his paw gently on Marinette's leg. "I don't want you to get hurt, that's all. We can't go in without a plan or knowing who or what we're looking for. What if you're wrong? Then all of Paris will think that we've become the bad guys."

" _Not to mention, there's a chance that scary man from before might be there,"_ Chat Noir shivered, recounting his memories at the palace. " _What if he finds me? I bet he'd skin the fur off my back and use it as a rug. There's no way I'm letting Marinette get close to that guy or any of those guards. It's more dangerous than she realizes."_

"But-"

"He's right, Marinette," Tikki interrupted. "I don't know if that's a good idea. It's not safe."

"And fighting akuma is?" Marinette stood up and crossed her arms angrily. "I thought we could handle anything. I'm telling you guys, Hawk Moth's in there somewhere. We're so close and you want to back out now?"

"It's not backing out," retorted Chat. "It's waiting to formulate a plan which you're great at by the way." He gave Marinette a hopeful smile that she wasn't buying. " _Why doesn't she get it?"_ Chat Noir internally groaned. " _Tikki and I don't want her getting hurt. She's headstrong and confident, but we can't charge headfirst into danger. And if Hawk Moth really is hiding in the palace, we'd be plunging into enemy territory unprepared."_

"I'm nervous though! What if someone gets hurt? I don't want more akumas attacking the city. If something happens, I... I don't know what will do."

"Nothing will happen while I'm around," Chat Noir grinned. "I'll make sure of that." The sheer confidence in his voice made Marinette feel a tad better.

Tikki flew in between Marinette and Chat Noir and cheered, "It's settled then! We'll wait it out and see what happens. If anything goes wrong, we'll head for the palace, but it's always best to have a plan."

Seeing the look of doubt on Marinette's face, Tikki patted her on the shoulder and said, "Trust me, Marinette! I have centuries of experience. It's better this way. We need to prepare for whatever tricks Hawk Moth has up his sleeve."

Marinette nodded and prayed, " _I hope they're right..."_

"I don't like seeing that sad face," Chat Noir frowned, poking Marinette playfully in the stomach. "So chin up! Girls are much cuter when they're smiling especially you, princess."

"And you're much cuter as a cat," Marinette laughed back, taking her turn at poking Chat Noir. "But lucky for you, I think your human side is cute too."

Chat Noir opened his mouth, but Marinette hushed him with her finger. She didn't seem to notice the growing blush on his cheeks. "Don't bother," she giggled. "If it's an atrocious cat pun, I don't want to hear it."

"But I've been saving this one for a week!"

"Nope! Don't want to hear it!"

"Well, I'm going to say it anyways," Chat Noir smiled, sticking his tongue out. "You-"

"LA LA LA LA! What's that? Are you saying something?" Marinette covered her ears and walked away, pretending to be unable to hear. "I can't hear you!"

Not going to let himself be ignored, Chat Noir sprung from the bed and chased after her. He chased her in circles around the bedroom, both of them laughing hysterically. It was all fun and games until Chat Noir tripped over a spool of thread on the ground, coming crashing down, and he accidentally pulled Marinette down with him.

He fell on top of her, pinning her to the ground. He pushed himself up and groggily shook his head. " _Ouch!"_ he thought. " _I should've been paying more attention to where I was..."_ That's when he noticed he was hovering right above Marinette who was taken off guard, but still laughing.

"Plan to get off anytime soon?" she asked. "You're much heavier in your human form than your cat. That fall hurt!"

Chat Noir stared at her for a moment, not hearing her words. She was so close that he could see the tiny freckles dotting her nose. He was looking deep into her ocean eyes and wondered what in the world he'd have to do to make them his. " _She's so beautiful..."_

"Earth to Chat? Can you please get off? You're crushing me!"

"Aah! S-Sorry!" Chat Noir quickly rolled to his side, releasing Marinette. "I didn't mean to... umm... what I'm mean is-"

"It's no big deal. We should both try being a little more careful. Our recklessness has gotten us into our fair share of trouble." Marinette brushed herself off and sat down at her desk. "I think I might start a new project, so you and Tikki can relax for now. There's food and water here whenever you're hungry." She turned her back to him and began to work, ending the conversation.

Chat Noir watched her work with eyes of longing. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and give her a hug from behind, but restrained himself. He didn't want to cross over any boundaries. " _Did she feel nothing?"_ he thought sadly, thinking back to moments prior. " _She didn't even look flustered. Are feelings for me really that impossible?"_

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 _ **Reviews and criticisms are appreciated! :)**_


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter was so much fun to write! Please enjoy!**

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The next month was filled with akuma attacks. They pushed Marinette and Chat Noir to their limits. One was the akuma who nicknamed herself Stormy Weather who almost sent Paris back into the ice age. Marinette had been left with an unshakable chill for the rest of the day. Then there was Timebreaker who nearly created a time paradox. The only plus side to that was that Chat Noir temporarily got to spend time with two Ladybugs to his great pleasure. And Marinette didn't even wanted to bring up Horrificator. The image still gave her nightmares.

By the end of the month, Marinette felt completely exhausted and stressed out. Paris had been attacked by akuma so frequently, Marinette wondered if there was anything she could do to stop it. She desperately wanted to sneak into the castle and scope things out, but Tikki and Chat Noir wouldn't let her. It was starting to weigh on her. She felt like she could be doing something more to defeat Hawk Moth. They were fighting the side effects instead of the disease.

The effects of all this stress were clearly visible to Chat Noir. Marinette wouldn't smile as often and when she did, her smiles weren't nearly as bright. When they fought akuma, her usual energy and confidence was lacking. She still seemed to get a kick out of the fight, but it wasn't the same. During meals, she mostly picked at her food and never ate much. She woke up in the middle of the night, suffering from chronic nightmares. Chat Noir began to get worried. Was holding her back the right choice?

Early one Saturday morning, Chat decided that he wouldn't let Marinette be depressed any longer. " _What kind of friend would I be if I didn't help?"_ he thought as he watched the sun rise. " _I'm going to make sure Marinette has the best day ever. That'll definitely make her feel better."_

Before the rest of the Dupain-Cheng family woke up, Chat Noir snuck downstairs in his human form to make Marinette breakfast. He brought Tikki along, hoping she might know how to cook. They found the bakery stocked with ingredients, but neither of them knew exactly what to do with them. Neither had any type of culinary training.

"These are eggs, right?" Tikki said, peering into a large bowl sitting on the counter. "I think you crack these open and put them on a hot pan."

"Let's try it!" Chat Noir exclaimed, grabbing a handful of eggs. He started the fire in the back of the bakery and set a pan on top of the burning logs. He hit one of the eggs against the side and it cracked open into the pan, gushing yolk and shell everywhere.

"Is the white stuff supposed to be in there?" Tikki asked, pointing at the shell.

Chat Noir shrugged and replied, "Shouldn't you eat the whole thing? We don't want to be wasteful."

"That's a good point. Crack a couple more and I'll get some jam and bread." Tikki flew to the cabinet and opened it to find a wide array of jams and jellies. " _Which one would Marinette like best?"_ she wondered, reading through the labels. " _Strawberry, grape, peach, blackberry... Oh! This one looks delicious!"_ Tikki pulled out the jar labeled "Peanut Butter". " _I wonder what fruit is used to make this!"_

Tikki flew back to Chat Noir with her jar of peanut butter. He was still cooking the eggs, but they looked more than a little brown. "I think that means they're done!" Tikki squeaked. "Take them off the fire and put them on this plate." She handed Chat Noir a glass plate and he dumped the eggs onto it. Wiping the sweat off his brow, Chat Noir admired the dish. Maybe cooking was his hidden talent.

"What do I do with this?" Chat asked, holding the peanut butter.

"You put it on the bread," Tikki explained. She flew over to the front display and grabbed a day old loaf. "We need to cut this into slices and find something to spread the jam on with. I think Marinette uses some kind of utensil..."

"Like this?" Chat Noir grabbed a fork that had been left lying out on a nearby counter. It was silver and shiny so it looked similar to what he had seen Marinette use before.

"That's perfect! Now cut off a few pieces and put the jam on it. Marinette's going to love this breakfast, I can already tell!"

After a few minutes of struggling, Chat Noir was able to cut the bread with the fork. Next, he stuck the fork in the jar of peanut butter and began to slather it on the bread. "How much should we use?" he asked. "This doesn't seem like enough."

"Put on as much as you can fit," Tikki advised. "Fruit is healthy, so it'll definitely make Marinette feel better. The more the better!" Taking Tikki's advice, Chat Noir put a big glob of peanut butter on every slice of bread.

With their gourmet breakfast complete, Chat Noir brought it up to Marinette's bedroom with Tikki flying at his side. They were excited to see her reaction. It was only the beginning of the amazing day they had planned for her.

"Wake up, Marinette!" Tikki shouted as they entered the bedroom. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Marinette rubbed her eyes and pushed herself up. "What's going on?" she moaned, still half asleep. "Why are we yelling so early in the morning?"

"We made you breakfast in bed!" Chat Noir explained, setting the plate of food on Marinette's lap. "Tikki and I are going to make sure you have the best day ever, so you'd better eat up. We have a lot to do!" He gave her a wide smile and waited for her to take a bite of her breakfast.

Marinette gave the food a cautious look. " _It's obvious they tried, but..."_ she thought, poking the eggs with her fork. " _The eggs are completely burnt and there's bits of eggshell in them. And this bread is smothered in peanut butter. I don't think I'll be able to swallow it! I should pretend to like it though. From the looks on their faces, I can tell they worked hard on this."_

She took a bite of the eggs and began to chew. The texture was rough and the taste definitely wasn't five stars. The eggshells mixed in made for an... unusual experience.

"How is it?" Chat Noir asked eagerly, waving his tail in the air. "Is it delicious?"

"Yep... it's delicious." Marinette gave Chat a thumbs up though in her head she knew it was a major thumbs down.

"I knew I had the makings of a great chef! My cooking is purr-fect," Chat Noir replied haughtily. "Maybe I should start making you breakfast every morning."

"No! No, no... You don't have to do that. Really. Please don't."

"If you insist, princess. But if you ever want something special to eat, all you need to do is ask!"

"I'll take that into consideration." Marinette took a bite of the bread, the only edible thing on the plate. It was hard to swallow all that peanut butter. It coated her throat and mouth which made it hard to get down. Somehow she managed a few bites and then quickly set the dish aside. She would grab something else to eat downstairs when Chat Noir and Tikki weren't watching.

"Now that you've finished eating, we can get going!" Chat Noir exclaimed, nearly bouncing off the walls with excitement.

"Go where?"

"We're going to spend a day on the town. There's so many fun areas to explore! And then we can stop by the pond and catch fish again!" It was the perfect day at least in Chat Noir's mind. He hadn't really taken into consideration the things Marinette liked to do. The schedule was more the things he enjoyed.

Chat Noir grabbed Marinette's cloak off her chair and threw it on. "Look! Now I can travel around like a human and you can show me everything. I want to see all your favorite places! Oh! I also want to visit the music shop again and say thank you to that nice friend of yours."

"You seem more excited than me," Marinette giggled as she stepped out of bed. "I'll get ready then. Just let me fix my hair and change out of my nightgown, alright?" She decided on her usual pigtails and normal pink dress. Nothing too fancy since they were just spending the day in town.

Once she was changed, Marinette told Chat Noir, "Lead the way! It sounds like you've already got a plan in mind. I'm just along for the ride."

"Let's go then!" Chat Noir scooped up Marinette in his arms and opened the window, leaning over the edge. Tikki quickly flew into Marinette's pocket before she and Chat Noir could escape.

"Wait! What are we doing?" Marinette asked. She was surprised by the strength of Chat Noir's arms. He was muscular and fit which maybe wasn't unusual for a cat. His joyful expression and vivid, emerald eyes warmed her heart. He looked like a normal, human boy having fun. It was hard to believe that he was a black cat instead.

"We can't get caught by your parents, can we? So we'll have to go out this way. Hold on tight, princess!" Chat Noir fearlessly leaped from the window, his cloak fluttering in the wind. In a panic, Marinette grabbed tightly onto his arm. She wasn't used to such death-defying stunts when she wasn't Ladybug. At the touch of Marinette's hands, Chat Noir began to smirk, something she didn't notice. They landed safely on the ground and Chat let Marinette back onto her feet.

"Come now, my lady," Chat Noir bowed, offering Marinette his arm. "I'll be your escort today and your every wish is my command."

"Why thank you kind sir," Marinette curtsied. She hooked her arm around his and grinned. "You're the only boy in the world who can make me feel like a princess." She pulled herself close to him and set her head on his shoulder. She was the perfect height for it. With a sweet laugh, she added, "You must be my Prince Charming sent from the heavens. I've never met a gentleman as fine as you."

The sudden contact sent Chat Noir's head spinning. The suave attitude he was playing evaporated into nervousness. His chest tightened and his mouth was drier than cotton. "I-I..." he stammered, his cheeks turning bright red. "Um... Of course not! There's only one Chat Noir after all. I'm destined to be the hero of your dreams."

"You think so? There's some stiff competition out there. Think you can handle it?"

"I know I can."

To prove his point, Chat Noir lifted Marinette's head off his shoulder and promised to be right back. He sped off around the corner to a flower shop that he had noticed walking home with Marinette the other day. He pulled a few coins out of the cloak's pocket which Marinette had probably left by mistake and walked over.

He perused the options, looking for a flower that would suit Marinette. A pink carnation caught his attention. The shade of pink matched Marinette's gown and would look lovely in her hair. "Excuse me!" Chat Noir called, catching the attention of the girl working the shop. "Can I please have one of these?"

"You bet," the girl smiled. She pulled the carnation from its vase of water and handed it to Chat Noir. "Is it for a special young lady?" she giggled as she took Chat's money. "It doesn't look like you're buying it for yourself." Chat Noir nodded, trying to conceal his blush. "How cute!" the blonde girl gushed. "I bet she'll love it. That's so thoughtful of you." Chat Noir nodded and then quickly hurried back to Marinette.

"And where did you run off too?" Marinette asked as Chat Noir came back into view. "I was beginning to think you had abandoned me."

"I got you a special present." Chat pulled the carnation out from under his cloak and offered it to Marinette. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful princess."

"Oh! It's wonderful!" Marinette happily accepted the flower and smelled the petals. "It smells delightful. Would you help me put it in my hair? I want to wear it for the rest of the day."

Chat Noir used his claws to carefully cut the stem of the carnation to an appropriate length. Making sure not to scratch her face, he placed the carnation in Marinette's hair, just above her bangs. He stepped back and noticed the joyful expression on Marinette's face. She appeared to adore her present.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Lovelier than every star in the sky," Chat Noir smiled. He had been waiting to see that cheerful countenance. All he wanted to do was make Marinette smile and it looked like he already succeeded.

"You're really laying it on thick with the compliments today so I have to find some way to repay the favor. Come closer." Marinette gestured for Chat Noir to draw near. Confused, Chat Noir stepped towards her and cocked his head to the side. What kind of repayment was she thinking about?

Marinette leaned forward on her toes and gave Chat Noir a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, kitty," she whispered into his ear. If only she knew how hard that hit him.

" _She kissed me!"_ Chat Noir screamed internally as he touched his paw to his cheek. " _She really kissed me! Her lips were so soft and... Princess, you don't know what you're doing to me."_ He had a strong feeling of butterflies in his stomach. He felt so light he thought the wind might blow him away.

"Is that music?" Marinette said suddenly, straining to hear into the distance. "I wonder if they're playing music in the square today! C'mon Chat! Let's go check it out! I absolutely love music!" She grabbed Chat Noir's arm and began to run towards the square, full of excitement. It had been a long time since she had experienced such a grand celebration.

The two made their way to the town square which was bustling with music and people. The square was the heart of the city. In the center was an old, marble fountain from the founding of Paris. Children were sitting on the edges, splashing themselves with water. The outskirt was surrounded by popular shops and a stage for performances. During holidays and festivals, the square was the best place to be. Sometimes people gathered around to have a little fun even if there was no cause for celebration.

In the center of the stage was a band playing music for the crowd. Two men were playing the violin, harmonizing with adjacent tunes. Another had a flute. The final man was playing a wooden guitar along to the sounds of the crowd. Chat Noir noticed his appearance was a bit odd. His hair was bright purple and his clothing quite eccentric. However, his playing was excellent.

"This is amazing!" Marinette exclaimed as she looked into the crowd. People were dancing around the square carefree. Everyone was swept up by the music and enjoying the fun. "This music is remarkable! Just listen! And look at all these people dancing!"

"Shall we join them?" Chat Noir asked, gently taking Marinette's hand. He gave her a kiss on the hand as an invitation.

"O-Oh... I don't know," Marinette blushed, biting her lip. "I'm not that good at dancing. I have two left feet. I'll step all over you."

"It's okay, m'lady. This alley cat has never danced a day in his life. Surely you must have at least a little more experience. We'll just let the music be our guide." Chat grabbed her other hand and spun her in a circle. "Shall we dance then?"

The two stepped into the dancing crowd. The music was upbeat and fast, so they didn't have much time to think. They interlocked their hands and let the music sweep them away. Filled with energy, they began to dance around, heart beats in sync. They wouldn't let their lack of skills slow them down.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance?" Marinette laughed as Chat Noir twirled her around. She lifted her dress as she danced around his body. Joining hands with him again, she winked and said, "You're quite good. Were you just trying to make me feel better?"

"It must be another hidden talent," Chat Noir remarked. "I'm full of surprises!"

Their bodies leaned in close, so close they were almost touching. He could feel the heat of her breath when she looked up at him. Thin beads of sweat were beginning to form on both their faces, but they were having too much fun to stop.

As the music began to pick up even more, Marinette found herself easily led by Chat Noir's movements. He took command of the rhythm, guiding her through a series of steps. Even when she stepped on his toes, he never said a word, only smiled. In his hands, she felt safe and secure. Mistakes didn't feel like mistakes. Her usual clumsiness didn't faze her with Chat Noir at her side. Perhaps it was because she couldn't tear herself away from his eyes.

They had an enchanting glow, full of life and vigor. Chat Noir was a happy cat so Marinette was used to seeing this expression. But today it somehow felt different. A strange warmth filled her body. It was a familiar feeling that she remembered experiencing a long time ago though she couldn't recall when. It felt like she was floating, like she and Chat were in their own little world.

"You're a quick learner too," Chat Noir smiled, dancing to the side. "You've already attracted the attention of everyone here." He glanced over at a group of young men sitting on the fountain. They were watching Marinette and whispering amongst each other. One of them pointed at the pigtailed girl. Chat felt a surge of jealousy and wished he hadn't said anything. He didn't want other guys throwing themselves at Marinette though he knew she wouldn't give them the time of day.

"I don't need their attention. The only person I care about is already my dance partner."

Chat Noir's ears stood straight up. " _What does she mean by that?"_ he wondered, almost stepping on Marinette's feet. Her sudden comment was disrupting his dancing. " _She probably didn't mean anything by it, but she's getting this poor cat's hopes up. Gah! I wish I could just tell her!"_ Unable to think of a response, he simply gave her an awkward cheshire-sized smile.

"Don't look so embarrassed," Marinette blushed as she jokingly pushed Chat away. " _I'm one to talk,"_ she thought. " _Why am I getting so flustered? It's just that smile of his... Who does it remind me of?"_

"The dance seems to be slowing down," Chat Noir noticed as he came to a stop. "Would you like to take a break? There's an area in the shade over there where we can rest."

He led her over to a patch of grass where they sat down under a tree. The area was well shaded, but they could still hear the music from the square. They both leaned their backs against the tree's trunk, relaxing.

"That was wonderful!" Marinette smiled, recounting a few minutes prior. "That's the most fun I've had in months. I didn't you think you'd be such a talented dancer."

"I didn't know either," Chat Noir replied humbly. "I'm discovering a lot of things about myself I didn't know. Did you know I can apparently play the piano?"

"Really? When did a cat like you get musical training?"

"Ha ha... I wish I knew. I just sat down and tried it when we went out a month ago and somehow my fingers just knew how to play. It's like today. Somehow my body just knew how to dance."

"Maybe you were nobility in your past life," Marinette joked. "I hear they spend all their time at parties, dancing and acting fancy. I try to pretend I'm not jealous, but I definitely am. Wouldn't it be incredible to have a ballroom dance every night and get to try on gorgeous dresses? And the food? I bet it's delicious, feasts for every meal! You wouldn't have to have a care in the world either. There are servants at your beck and call. What I wouldn't give to live a life like that..."

"I wish it were that nice..."

"What do you mean by that?" Marinette's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Did you secretly live in a castle without me knowing?"

"Oh no!" Chat Noir exclaimed, waving his hands in denial. "I don't know why I said that. It just kinda came out... But I don't know. It doesn't seem like all it's cracked up to be. Think about all the stress that comes with having power, all the restrictions. You're not free to do what you want."

"I never thought about it like that. Is this what you think about late at night?" Marinette giggled. "I didn't expect you to be a deep thinker. Cats must have just as many problems as humans."

"I guess so..." Chat Noir had a faraway look in his eyes that bothered Marinette. For the first time, he seemed so distant. Only a few minutes before he had been full of smiles, but now he looked depressed. It was if something was nagging at the back of his mind like a memory he had long forgotten.

"Maybe you really did live in castle," Marinette remarked, catching Chat's attention. "I mean, you don't remember anything, right? It's totally possible. Speaking of your amnesia, I know we haven't talked much about it. Have you begun to remember anything? I wish I could do more to help..."

"Don't worry, princess. It isn't your fault. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind, but it might be better that way. I like the life I'm living now with you. It's hard to imagine being anything but Chat Noir at Ladybug's side. To think that there was something before that, I don't think I want to know anymore."

" _Marinette's become my entire world,"_ Chat Noir smiled to himself. " _She's my everything. I don't think I need the past anymore now that I've got her. The future is brighter than the past ever could have been."_

"Are you sure? What about your family? Friends? They might be out there looking for you."

"Alley cats don't have families or friends," Chat Noir sighed. "I'm just a stray off the street. I can almost guarantee there isn't much to my story. I don't know why I was obsessed with finding out in the first place. There was probably nothing to discover." Marinette noticed how dejected he sounded.

She placed her hand on his head and coaxed him into lying down on her lap. She pulled back the hood of his cloak and stroked his hair like she would his fur in his cat form. In the past, it tended to calm him down. "You have friends and family now," she whispered. "Tikki and I are always here for you. You won't be alone again."

"Thanks... Sorry for ruining your special day with my worries. It was supposed to be all about you, but I only made it worse."

"That's a complete lie. A day without you wouldn't be worth living. We're a team and your problems are my problems. We work through everything together. That's what partners do. You're not just some pet cat. You're my best friend. And besides, being with you makes me happy. Spending time like this has already made it the best day ever. You can consider it mission accomplished."

"Marinette, I-"

"You don't have to say anything," Marinette said, hushing him. "Thank you for giving me the best day ever. I know I've been mopey lately with all this Hawk Moth stuff. It's probably been stressing you and Tikki out. I'm sorry for that. I'm supposed to be a great hero, but even I find myself losing hope. With the two of us together though, I know we'll beat him someday. I shouldn't be worrying."

" _I'm not lying. Being with Chat like this feels good. All my stress has somehow disappeared,"_ thought Marinette, the warmth of the sun calming her. " _I haven't felt this good since I first met Prince Adrien. He was my ray of sunshine... That's who Chat reminded me of! Those two have the same smile."_

She glanced down at Chat Noir who had shut his eyes, finding peace on Marinette's lap. " _They really are similar,"_ Marinette giggled. " _I don't know how I never noticed. With Chat here, it feels like Prince Adrien isn't that far away."_

For once, thinking about the prince didn't upset her. Instead, she was recalling the brief, fond memories they shared. She didn't feel the need to lock her love up and throw away the key. " _Maybe I can tell Chat now. I did promise to tell him eventually about the prince. He deserves to know. I mean, it's not like it's a big secret, but it's always been hard for me to talk about. But I don't feel that sad anymore."_

"Chat, can I tell you something?"

"Only if I can tell you something first." Chat Noir opened his eyes and took a deep breath. " _I know she only sees me as a partner, but now's my chance."_ His heartbeat to quicken. " _The mood is perfect and she said so herself. I'm not just some cat anymore. Part of me is saying this is a bad idea, but I have to tell her! It's my only chance."_

"Sure," Marinette innocently smiled. "What is it?'

"Marinette, I..."


	15. Chapter 15

**You all thought I was going to interrupt Chat's confession. I'm not that mean. The poor kitty's been waiting a long time to get those words out. I wouldn't take that away from him. That doesn't mean I'm going to let him have a happy ending that easily though :P**

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Chat Noir turned his head, staring straight into Marinette's bright, blue eyes. She innocently gazed back and he felt like his heart might explode. He felt her hands run through his hair, every place they touched leaving a long-lasting warmth. " _There's no doubt..."_ he thought. " _I've never felt this way before."_

"Marinette, I love you."

The words came out easier than he expected and once they did, time seemed to slow down. It was out there now, never to be taken back. Marinette's smile vanished and there was a moment of silence. It felt liked the longest moment of his life. " _What's she going to say?"_ Chat Noir worried, his muscles tense. " _C'mon Marinette! Say something!"_

All of a sudden, Marinette threw her head back and giggled. "I love you too, kitty!" she laughed, patting him on the head. Her cheeks were painted a light pink from her cheers. "You don't have to tell me that," she continued on, not noticing Chat Noir's expression change. "We're best friends and partners. Of course we love each other!"

"Not like that..."

Chat Noir sat up and leaned close to Marinette, resting his hand on the tree trunk behind her. "You don't understand," he cried, the distress in his voice clear. He pounded his paw against the bark and gave Marinette a sad smile. "You don't understand...

Marinette could feel the hotness of his breath. She wondered why he was suddenly so upset. Although, he was nearly on top of her, she didn't feel nervous. Instead, she was worried. What was wrong?

She put her hand on Chat's shoulder and said, "Tell me what's wrong. Why are you acting like this suddenly? Talk to me." She brushed his hair away from his forehead and gently placed the back of her hand against it. "You're burning up!" Marinette exclaimed. "And your cheeks are all red. Are you sick? I can take you home right now."

"I'm not sick!" Chat Noir moaned, slumping to his knees. "Marinette, please listen to me. I love you..."

That's when it finally sank in for her.

"Oh Chat..." Marinette sighed, a sense of guilt overwhelming her. She had never considered Chat Noir falling in love with her. She had been so busy working past her feelings for Prince Adrien that she had never noticed. With his flirtatious nature, Marinette assumed his "advances" had been a joke, but they had been real to him.

The nicknames. The flower. The need to always be in her company. All of it. To him, it was a manifestation of his feelings which Marinette had ignored. If only she had told him the truth sooner...

"I'm sorry," Marinette continued, her voice slow and calm. She didn't want to overwhelm Chat since she knew what heartbreak felt like. "But I already have someone else that I'm in love with." Marinette's words stung her own heart. It felt wrong to tell Chat she was already in love considering that person was no longer around. It would hurt the both of them knowing that she was holding onto a love that could never come true.

"Who is he?" Chat Noir huffed, turning his head away from Marinette. He didn't want to see her face. It would make everything hurt that much more.

"Prince Adrien."

" _I should've known,"_ Chat Noir scolded himself. He buried his head in his hands and tried to hold back tears. " _That was why Marinette always got upset when people talked about him. But I've never seen him before. Did he even care about her? How dare he? How dare he capture Marinette's heart and not return her love? Why did I lose to him? I must be-"_

"Chat..."

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you everything before. This is all my fault," Marinette said. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Chat Noir from behind. She rested her head on his shoulder, the leather of his suit rubbing against her cheek. "You deserve to know everything about Prince Adrien. Now is the time to come clean."

"You don't need to rub it in, princess," Chat Noir frowned. The intoxicating scent of Marinette was overwhelming him. She was so close, but he couldn't have her. She didn't feel that way about him. Had he honestly ever expected her too though? Chat Noir decided to gamble, but it hadn't paid off.

"But who is he?"

The words felt rough on Chat Noir's tongue. His throat was swollen and his eyes were beginning to grow red and puffy. Marinette pretended to not see the tears. Chat Noir wouldn't admit they were there even if she said something. His cat instincts were starting to kick in. He wanted to flee and curl up in a ball somewhere in the dark. But he stayed, his curiosity getting the better of him. Just who was this rival that defeated him in love?

"Come sit over here," Marinette said, patting the grass beside her. Chat Noir gloomily slumped over, taking his place beside Marinette. With their shoulders touching, Marinette interlocked her hand with Chat's and squeezed it tight. The conversation was going to become emotional for both of them. Right now, they needed each other's comfort.

Chat Noir rested his head on Marinette's shoulder. He was already emotionally exhausted from rejection. "Chat..." Marinette choked, it now being her turn to tear up. "If you're willing to listen, I have a story for you..."

 **The day started out peacefully. The sun was shining and the air was warm. Marinette left for lessons with a smile. She was excited to discuss the new book they had started for class. It was another fairytale which were Marinette's favorites. Nothing made her feel like a princess more than reading about one.**

 **When Marinette arrived at lessons, she was struck by the regal carriage waiting outside the hall. It had intricate golden carvings and was accompanied by two, white horses. The coachman was idly sitting in front, watching the horses. If Marinette hadn't known better, she would have thought he was a nobleman. Even he was dressed to the nines.**

" _ **That's not Chloe's carriage,"**_ **Marinette frowned as she tried to puzzle out who the carriage might belong too.** " _ **Even she's not this eccentric. She normally walks to class though she probably wishes she could have a horse drawn carriage drag her everywhere."**_

 **Marinette entered the hall, taking one last look at the carriage.** " _ **It truly is a carriage fit for a princess,"**_ **she imagined.** " _ **It'd be a dream come true to ride around in one of those. Though I think I'd want mine to be pink! I bet Alya and I could ride around the city for days without ever getting bored!"**_

 **As she neared her classroom, Marinette could hear the excited murmurs of her classmates. Curious, she carefully opened the door and peered inside. Her classmates were huddled in a circle, something important clearly in the middle of them. Amidst the crowd, Marinette could see a bright, yellow dress accompanied by a gaudy ponytail. For once however, Chloe didn't seem to be the center of attention. Instead, she seemed to be fawning over whatever was in the middle.**

" **Everyone back off!" Chloe suddenly yelled, smacking her lips together. "Give Prince Adrien some space. He obviously isn't used to being around common folk like you."**

" _ **Prince?"**_

 **The students returned to their seats, revealing what had been at the center of their fervor. There was a handsome, young man with silky, blonde hair hanging uncomfortably onto Chloe. He was dressed in clothing that probably cost more than the entire bakery. But that wasn't what struck Marinette most about his appearance. It was his eyes, his brilliant, emerald eyes.**

" _ **Who's that?"**_ **Marinette thought, still staring from the doorway.** " _ **He's gorgeous, but it looks like he's friends with Chloe. They do say looks aren't everything. I guess that rings truer than ever. What a pity... He really is cute."**_

 **Suddenly, the boy walked over to Marinette's usual seat and leaned over the side, a grotesque twist appearing on his face. "Chloe?" he said, rolling his eyes over to her. "Are you sure about this?" He poked his finger at something on the seat that Marinette couldn't see from afar. Whatever it was disgusted him as evident by his expression.**

" **What do you think you're doing?" Marinette shouted, racing over to her desk. Her scream startled the boy who quickly pulled his hands away from her seat. He looked nervously at Chloe, but she offered no help. Instead, she gave Marinette a devious glare and sat down. Marinette looked over at her seat and found it covered in dirt and mud.**

" **I-It wasn't me!" the boy cried, shaking his head. "I swear! I was trying to clean it up, but-"**

" **I don't want to hear it," Marinette sighed as she took out her handkerchief. She used it to wipe away the grime, effectively ruining it. It could probably never be used again. Marinette turned to the boy and growled, "You're a friend of Chloe's, I'm sure. Good thing I didn't expect much out of you anyways."**

" **But-"**

" **I'm not in the mood for excuses. If you'd please leave, I'd like to sit down in peace."**

 **The boy tried to protest once more, but Marinette sat down and turned her head away with a huff. She didn't have time to deal with him or Chloe's nonsense. She came to lessons to learn and learn she would. A scowl still on her face, Marinette pulled out her book and pretended to read. Internally though, she was still fuming and having a hard time containing her rage. The previous incident had made her unbelievably mad.**

" **I see you've all met our temporary student," Miss Bustier announced, standing up at the front desk. "Please welcome Prince Adrien. We're very lucky to have him with us today by Miss Bourgeois's request."** **Prince Adrien stood up and bowed, something he was experienced in from his attendance of multiple social events.**

" _ **Some prince,"**_ **Marinette groaned.** " _ **What kind of prince bullies innocent girls? I'd rather have a mouse rule the kingdom than a rat like him."**_

 **The rest of class was ruined for Marinette. She couldn't concentrate. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed how Prince Adrien kept glancing at her. He tried to make eye contact, but she always looked away. His presence fueled Marinette's anger even more. She almost ripped the page of her book when turning it out of rage. Things were made even worse when a crack of thunder accompanied by a rough flash of rain stormed through.**

" _ **Wonderful..."**_ **thought Marinette.** " _ **I didn't think to bring an umbrella. It was so nice when I left. I might be going home wet today."**_

 **Miss Bustier let the class out early, but Marinette stayed behind to clean up her desk. There was still some dirt on the ground and she didn't want to leave a mess for Miss Bustier. The poor teacher did enough already by teaching Chloe. She didn't deserve a dirty classroom as well.**

 **Once everything was clean, Marinette headed to the front of the building and looked out the window in distress. The rain was really coming down, forming puddles on the ground. She opened the door and stepped out underneath the awning. She stuck her hand out, her fingers getting stung by the rain. The storm was even worse than she thought.**

" _ **Maybe I should stay here for a while,"**_ **Marinette pondered, taking a step back.** " _ **I don't want my books to get all wet. Perhaps the rain will let up soon..."**_

" **Hello..."**

 **Marinette recognized the voice instantly and shrugged away.** " _ **He's the last person I want to talk to,"**_ **she thought, giving a little grunt to emphasize her distaste.**

 **Prince Adrien stepped forward and opened his black umbrella, looking back at Marinette with a sad smile. "I just wanted you to know," he began, catching Marinette's attention. "That I was only trying to get the dirt off your seat. I swear..."**

" _ **What's he talking about?"**_ **Marinette turned to him and found herself captured by his gaze. Prince Adrien didn't look as cocky anymore. Instead, he just looked sad. Marinette felt her anger simmer down as she continued to listen.**

" **I've never been to school like this before. I've never had friends. It's all sort of... new to me." Prince Adrien glanced back at her and smiled. It was a happier smile this time. Then, he extended his arm and offered the umbrella to Marinette, shielding her from the rain.**

 **The way he stared at her shook her heart. Everything came crashing down in an instant as a clap of thunder filled the air. His smile was so innocent, so pure. He clearly had no ill intentions. Marinette wondered how she had let herself misjudge him. The boy she was watching was filled only with kindness.**

 **Marinette carefully reached her hand out to grab the umbrella. For a moment, their fingers touched and she felt a spark of electricity run through her body, causing her to flinch. Unphased however, she reached again and took the handle of the umbrella from Prince Adrien's hands.**

 **All of a sudden, the umbrella snapped shut and closed on Marinette's head.** " _ **Darn my bad luck,"**_ **Marinette cursed as she fumbled with the umbrella. Thank goodness it was hiding the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. She would absolutely die if the Prince saw her. As Marinette tried to push the umbrella open, she was interrupted by the sweet laugh of the Prince.**

 **Perfection.**

 **That was the only word Marinette could use to describe it. It wasn't too loud or too soft. It wasn't annoying or obnoxious. It wasn't snooty or cold. It was just perfect and it fit the Prince perfectly as well.**

 **Marinette lifted the umbrella and saw the Prince's smiling face, instantly liking it more than his frowning one. She found herself caught up in his laughter and began to giggle herself. It was contagious. Within seconds, they were laughing together out in the rain without a care.**

" **See you again... Marinette?" Prince Adrien asked, checking if he remembered her name correctly.**

" **That's right..."**

" **Marinette? What a fitting name for a beautiful, young lady. Until next time!"**

 **As he started to walk towards the steps. Marinette slowly nodded, her heart still reeling from shock. The Prince smiled and waved good-bye before heading towards the carriage below. As Marinette watched him walk away, she attempted to say her good-byes accidentally dropping her bag in the process.**

" **Uh-huh!" she stumbled, nearly tripping over her feet without moving. "See you a-a-again!"**

" _ **Woah... Why am I stammering?"**_ **Marinette wondered as Prince Adrien entered his carriage.** " _ **I've never acted like that before. It couldn't be-"**_

 **As much as she wanted to deny it, the signs were obvious. The blushing. The heartbeat. The stuttering.**

 **It was love.**

 **Since that day, Marinette kept track of everything the Prince did. She clipped newspaper articles of him to her walls. She made drawings of his face so she could never forget. She had even designed a special outfit just for him though she knew he would never wear it. His umbrella was kept at her bedside. Marinette planned on returning it the next time they met. When that would be, she didn't know. Prince Adrien only came to class that one day, but Marinette felt hopeful they would meet again.**

 **Everyone around noticed how Marinette had become even cheerier. Her parents didn't question it and neither did Alya or Nino. Marinette's good mood seemed to brighten the entire world. It even seemed like all of Paris couldn't stop smiling. Everything was perfect until that fateful day.**

 **Word spread by mouth quickly, but it reached the papers the following morning.**

 **Marinette ran downstairs for breakfast and found her parents in a somber mood. "What's wrong?" she asked, grabbing a strawberry tart. "I've haven't you two this upset since they ran out of sugar at the market."**

" **Marinette..." Tom began slowly. "I don't know if this will mean much to you, but Prince Adrien passed away last night. A visitation is being set up for him tonight. The entire city is shut down to honor his highness."**

" **W-What?" Marinette's world came crashing down.** " _ **Dead? He can't be dead... It's impossible! No! It can't be true?"**_ **Giant tears came trickling down her face accompanied by heavy sobs.** " _ **No! They're lying!"**_

 **Before her parents could ask what was wrong, Marinette bolted to her room and locked the trapdoor shut. She locked the windows and closed the curtains. The entire room was consumed by darkness. Marinette sat on her bed surrounded by unfinished designs and half-drawn portraits as she tried to contain her sobs. Beside the bed, sat a black, umbrella that no longer had an owner.**

" _ **It isn't true,"**_ **Marinette sobbed, her face buried in her pillow.** " _ **There must be some mistake..."**_

 **That was when it began to rain. It wasn't a light shower, but a downpour exactly like the day she met him. Marinette's parents left at noon to pay their respects. After they left, Marinette managed to pull herself together and decided to head to the visitation. She wouldn't believe anything until she saw it with her own eyes. There had to be a mistake, but she grabbed the umbrella just in case.**

 **Marinette arrived at the palace at 1:00. The line reached out the palace gates and winded around town. She patiently waited her turn, but on the inside, Marinette thought she might die. The rain stung at her skin while she waited. She didn't use the umbrella. It didn't belong to her and she wanted to return it in good condition. The line moved slowly, but eventually she made it to the front.**

 **Waiting for her was a black casket decorated with white roses. It was closed, but Marinette knew what was locked inside. She imagined Prince Adrien's body cold and lifeless like a porcelain doll. The truth could be denied no longer. Inside that black coffin was the love of her life and he was dead.**

 **The tears wouldn't stop flowing. Quickly, they began to mix with the rain. Marinette fell to her knees and set her head against the coffin, her cheek against the cold wood. Her voice was shaky as she whispered, "I'll miss you..." She hoped that somewhere up in heaven Prince Adrien would hear her words.**

 **Marinette looked down at the umbrella in her hands. With a sad smile, she set it beside the casket. "I thought I should return to this to you, but I never had the chance."**

 **The smell of roses was thick and making Marinette's headache from crying even worse. She had already spent a few minutes mourning in front of the casket and the guards protecting it were urging her to move on. Marinette slowly stood up and brushed her hair back. Her eyes were red and swollen, but she pretended not to notice.** " _ **I have to be strong..."**_ **she repeated to herself.** " _ **He wouldn't want anyone to cry for him. He would much rather we smile."**_

 **And then she left the palace gardens, people watching her as she walked away. On the outside, she looked like she was coping okay. However, Marinette felt broken on the inside. He was the first person she had ever loved and he was taken away before she had the chance to tell him her feelings. Her heart was shattered, leaving Marinette wondering if it could be healed. Someone else would have to glue the pieces back together for her. She didn't think she could recover.**

 **That was until a certain black, cat stumbled into her life...**

"And that's the story," Marinette sighed, wiping away stray tears. Just thinking about it still got her emotional. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, Chat. It's hard to talk about though... Even after a year, he still won't leave my heart. I guess I'm pretty pathetic in that sense."

"You're not pathetic!" Chat Noir exclaimed, now feeling guilty about making Marinette cry. " _If anyone's pathetic, it's me,"_ he thought. " _I'm such an idiot. I should've realized she had feelings for this guy. And why did I ever think she might fall in love with an alleycat like me?"_

"Thanks..." Marinette patted Chat Noir on the head and took a deep breath. "But you see now. I'm sorry, Chat. I do love you love though! I love you so much, but just not romantically. You're my best friend and my partner. I'm willing to trust you with the world. Even if I don't love you that way, you're more important in my life than Prince Adrien ever had the chance to be."

"Princess..."

"So please don't take this to heart. I don't want our relationship to change. You're my Chat Noir and don't ever forget that."

"..."

"Please say something," Marinette begged. Chat Noir wasn't facing her anymore and she couldn't make out his expression. She prayed that his feelings weren't hurt too bad. His confession came out of nowhere and she wasn't prepared. Hopefully the words she chose were just right.

"Marinette..." Chat Noir said slowly, keeping his back to her. "Could you ever love someone like me?" He tried to hide the desperation in his tone.

"I've never thought about loving anyone else. It's been a year and I haven't completely moved on. I wonder if I ever will... so I can't promise you that," Marinette professed honestly. "Besides you and I both know that apart from your miraculous powers, you're actually-"

"Don't say it," Chat Noir cried with an edge of bitterness. He knew he wasn't like her. He knew he wasn't human. But he spend so much time in his half-human form and she never treated him like a pet. She always treated him as an equal, like a human being. Over time, he started to forget. The line between human and cat started to blur. That's probably how this mess called love started. But now that line had been straightened out and was all too clear.

"Chat..."

" _I can't take this anymore. I can't look her in the eyes..."_ Chat Noir thought. His chest hurt so bad he thought he could be dying. " _I didn't expect it to hurt this much. Is this how Marinette felt? I don't think I can handle it. If I turn around and see her face, I-I... I just can't!"_

Chat Noir stood up suddenly, startling Marinette. "What's wrong?" Marinette asked, standing up too. "Please look me at me!" She put her hand on his shoulder, but he brushed it off. Having her touch him was a luxury he felt like he didn't deserve. After all, he wasn't the one she loved.

Slowly, Chat Noir began to take off the cloak that was hiding his cat-like features. He folded it and turned around, setting it in Marinette's hands. "Thank you..." he murmured softly.

"Chat! What are you doing? People can see you! And what do you mean by that?" Marinette cried, feeling extremely worried. Chat Noir had never acted this way before.

He looked down at her with his large, green eyes. His lips grew into a sad smile. "Marinette..." he whispered in a voice so low Marinette could barely hear him. "I'm sorry..."

"I don't underst-"

All of a sudden, Chat Noir took off running. "W-Wait!" Marinette cried, chasing after him. " _What's he doing? Chat! Stop!"_

Chat Noir sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him. " _I'm sorry, Marinette,"_ he thought, his tears flying off his cheeks from the wind. " _I don't think I can be around you anymore. It hurts too much. It might be selfish, but it's all I can do. Ladybug doesn't need her Chat Noir any longer."_

He turned a sharp corner into a vacant side street. After making sure no one was around, he transformed into a cat, his true form.

"Chat! Please come back!"

He could hear Marinette's voice, sharp and clear. Quickly, he jumped onto a nearby trash bin and launched himself onto the roof of a nearby building. He shuffled up the shingles and looked down on the street below. Marinette came barrelling through, nearly tripping over the street's brick walkway.

"Chat! Are you here?" she screamed, her voice beginning to go hoarse. "Chat!"

Chat Noir watched her search the street in vain. She would never think to look up. He was so close, but she would never notice.

" _Good-bye, my lady."_

He turned tail to leave, taking a final glance at Marinette. He wanted one last look at her beautiful, blue eyes. Satisfied with that, he began to dart across the rooftops. He didn't know where he was going to go. It was just like the past. He was now a normal alleycat living on the streets trying to survive. But now he had some memories to hang on to. Something to keep him warm at night. Some were bittersweet, but they were better than what he had before.

Chat Noir understood what Marinette was talking about before. She said she couldn't let go, that her heart couldn't move on. He felt the same. He wondered if leaving her would make a difference. Would it dull the pain? Marinette had become such an important part of his life. That could never change even when they were apart. Even years from now, Chat Noir wondered if his feelings would ever change. Would his heart continue to latch on to what it couldn't have?


	16. Chapter 16

**I wasn't sure if I would have time this weekend to post a new chapter, so you get a new chapter today! Hopefully that's alright! Also, thank you for the continued support on this story. Reading all your reviews make me so happy! :)**

* * *

"Chat! Chat!" Marinette cried, her voice beginning to go hoarse. It had been a few hours now and the sun was starting to set. She was exhausted. It felt like she had searched every street in Paris, but there was no sign of Chat Noir. She was quickly losing hope. Paris was a giant city with a million places to hide. If Chat Noir returned to his cat form, it would be even more difficult to find him.

" _Where are you?"_ Marinette wondered as she slumped down against a nearby wall. She buried her hand in her heads and started to cry. " _Please come back... What am I going to do without you?"_

"Marinette..." Tikki flew out of Marinette's pocket and hovered in front of the crying girl. It broke her heart to see Marinette this way. "Marinette, please cheer up," Tikki said, offering words of encouragement. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. You know how boys can be. He just needs time to work out his emotions."

"Didn't you see his face? He's not coming back. I hurt him so much... This is all my fault!"

"It's not your fault! Don't you dare blame yourself! You have the right to love whoever you want. Surely Chat Noir understands that better than anyone. By loving the Prince you committed no crime. You told Chat Noir the truth and that's all you could do. He decided how to react. His actions shouldn't be a burden to you. He wouldn't want them to be."

Marinette slowly looked up and wiped away her tears. "He's gone, Tikki. What are we going to do? I can't be Ladybug without Chat Noir. The only reason I could be so confident was because he was around. We were a team! I'll be akuma bait if I go into a fight alone!"

"Everything's going to work out," Tikki promised, cuddling up beside Marinette's cheek. "Everyone gets a little emotional sometimes. Chat Noir needs time to cool off. He'll be back before you know it!"

"I wish I could believe that... What if something happens to him? He could get hurt or lost or-"

"Marinette..."

"Let's at least look for him a little longer," begged Marinette. She shakily stood up and clenched her fist in determination. She wasn't planning to give up so easily.

"Stop right there!" Tikki flew in front of Marinette, blocking her path. "We need to go home. You're tired. I can tell. Let's get something to eat and sleep on things. We can search tomorrow!" Tikki grabbed Marinette's finger, pulling on it. "C'mon!"

"Marinette, what are you doing here?"

Tikki quickly flew behind Marinette to hide as Alya walked towards her. " _What's she doing here?"_ Marinette moaned, praying that Tikki was out of sight. " _Why do we have a habit of running into each other at the worst times? We're best friends! We don't have to meet by accident!"_

"Oh, you know... Just out for a walk before it gets dark!" Marinette lied, giving Alya a fake smile.

"Girl, you're weird sometimes. It's getting dark. You should really go home. That's where I'm headed. Wanna tag along?"

"Um, sure?"

Marinette walked over to join her. While Alya looked away, Tikki flew into Marinette's pocket, remaining out of sight. The girls started to walk home and Alya was gushing over her date with Nino.

"He wrote me a song!" Alya lovingly sighed. Marinette swore she could see hearts in her eyes which slightly disturbed Marinette since Alya was never one for romance. "And he even played the guitar! I know he's a dork, but he really can be adorable sometimes. It's almost our one month anniversary. I'm thinking of getting him something special. It would be small of course, but it's the thought that counts."

"I've never seen a more perfect couple," Marinette groaned, facepalming. "I'm happy for you guys, but it's weird to see you both so..."

"In love?"

"Yeah!"

"Your turn will come soon," Alya smiled, patting Marinette on the back. "Like I've told you before, there's someone out there for you. Weren't you going to try things out with that boy that sometimes visit the bakery? What was his name? Nick? Nigel?"

"It was Nathanael and I decided against it. You can't force yourself to fall in love with someone. It just sorta happens..." Marinette sighed. " _I wish we'd stop talking about love,"_ she thought. " _It's just digging the nail in the coffin. I keep thinking about Chat Noir and I'm only getting more worried."_

Alya waved her hand in front of Marinette's face and shouted, "Hello? You okay there?"

"Huh? What?"

"You totally zoned out for a sec. Something on your mind? You've got this vacant look in your eyes."

Marinette shifted uncomfortably. "To tell you the truth... it's about Chat Noir. He's gone missing."

"Your pet cat?" Alya asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't stress. Cats run off all the time. They're outside animals. He'll come back when he's good and ready."

"But he's not like a normal cat. He's never left home before and I'm worried about him. What if something happens?"

"Wasn't he a stray before you adopted him? I'm sure he'll be fine. Cats are tougher than they look. Since you're this worried though, I'll keep an eye out. He couldn't have gotten far. He's probably hiding in a dumpster hunting for food."

"Maybe..."

The tone of Marinette's voice didn't inspire much confidence in Alya. It wasn't unusual for Marinette to be over dramatic about things, but Chat Noir's disappearance really seemed to shake her up. Alya didn't like seeing Marinette this upset, but there wasn't much she could do. She didn't have magical cat finding abilities.

"I'll have Nino look around too," Alya promised. "But I'll be surprised if Chat Noir isn't home by the time one of us find him. Oh, it looks like we're already at my house." Alya skipped up to her front step and waved at her best friend. "See ya, Marinette!"

"Bye!" Marinette called. "Oh, Alya! Wait!"

"Huh?"

"If you see Chat Noir as in the magician, let me know too."

"They might have the same name, but you do know he's not your cat," Alya joked, giving Marinette a curious glance. "Why are you searching for him too?"

"Um..." Marinette panicked. "I just thought that since he's a black cat and all too, he might have better luck finding my Chat Noir! You know what? Don't worry about it! Good night!" She quickly sprinted away towards the bakery, leaving Alya very confused.

"That was a close one," Marinette mumbled under her breath as she entered the bakery. "I need to be more careful with what I say."

"You're finally back?" Tom Dupain-Cheng called from the back. "There's some dishes that need washing up if you don't mind."

"Sure thing, Papa." Marinette gladly went over to the sink and began to scrape the leftover food of the plates. Right now, anything that could take her mind of Chat Noir was a blessing. After finishing this chore, she planned to change into her nightgown and sleep. Hopefully morning would bring better news.

Unfortunately, Marinette wouldn't be so lucky.

It had been a week since Chat Noir went missing and there was still no sign of him. Marinette had gone out everyday to search for him, but found nothing. By this time, he could've left the city and Marinette was beginning to lose all hope. If he hadn't come home yet, there was a chance he would never come home again.

Everyday Marinette left a bowl of food and water on the balcony. She kept the window unlocked just in case. She set up a nice sitting pillow right beside her bed. Everything was cleaned and kept tidy. Instead of pictures of Prince Adrien covering her desk, there were drawings of Chat Noir both in and out of cat form.

One day, Marinette was standing out on her balcony, staring at the sky. " _He's out there somewhere..."_ she thought. She imagined Chat Noir's smiling face as he played around in the grass. In her fantasies, he was having the time of his life. " _Maybe things are better this way. No, I can't say that... It might just be me being selfish, but things aren't better. I've never been more stressed in my life. Where is that stupid cat?"_

"Marinette, are you still out here?" Tikki came out the balcony and sat on the railing in front of Marinette. "Isn't it cold out here? It's really windy today."

"I'm fine," Marinette smiled, her hair blowing in the breeze. She decided to leave it down today. She was lacking the energy to put it in pigtails. "I'm just getting some fresh air. Watching the sky makes me feel a little better. I can get lost in the deepness of it. My problems just float away for a while."

"I'm sorry..."

"For what?" Marinette laughed. She patted Tikki on the head with her finger. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I told you Chat Noir would come back. I must've gotten your hopes up."

"It's fine. You were only trying to give me hope. I still have hope even though it's been a week. But I can't help but wonder if I'm waiting for nothing. When do I stop searching? When do I give up? I just don't know..."

Tikki provided no answer. She didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell Marinette to keep searching, but had a suspicion it would be in vain. Tikki had believed that Chat Noir was going to come back. But after an entire week passed, she wasn't too sure. She never pegged Chat Noir as a selfish cat. He cared about Marinette too much for that. Yet, he still hadn't returned.

"Can I propose something?" Marinette asked Tikki. "I know you won't like it, but I want to try anyways."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to go after Hawk Moth."

"Marinette, are you crazy? You know how dangerous he is! There's a reason Chat Noir and I talked you out of charging into the castle head on. And now that Chat Noir's missing, how are you going to handle it alone?"

Marinette sighed and leaned onto the railing, throwing her head back towards the clouds. "Do I have another choice though? I can't fight his akuma on my own. I can't risk one attacking the city if I can't defend it. The only thing I can think of is going after Hawk Moth. It'll be miraculous versus miraculous with no crazy monsters involved. It's the fairest fight I can get and the one I'd place my bets on."

"But if you go in without a plan-"

"Then we'll have to make one. We already know what his miraculous can do. All that's left is to figure out how to sneak into the castle and pinpoint his location. I'm sure the library has some castle blueprints or sketches we can look at. And if I'm correct, I'm guessing Hawk Moth will come find me. My miraculous will be out in his territory and I'm sure he'll gladly come to take it."

"It's still dangerous. Let's at least wait for Chat Noir!"

"Tikki..." Marinette smiled sadly. "I don't think he's coming back. This is how things are going to be from now on. It's just the two of us and we're going to protect Paris even if it kills us." A single tear fell from Marinette's eye and was blown away by the wind.

"I understand," Tikki nodded. "We shouldn't waste any time then. If Hawk Moth finds out Chat Noir is missing, he won't hesitate to use that to his advantage. Is the library open today?"

"You bet! I've already figured out a way to sweet talk the librarian into showing us the palace's design plans," Marinette boasted. She was going to fight Hawk Moth with all she had and she wasn't afraid to get dirty in the process. That butterfly won't know what hit him!

* * *

Marinette entered the library with her game face on. She had tied her hair into a small side braid which bounced on her shoulder as she sauntered up to the front desk. Getting access to documents like the blueprints of the royal castle wasn't going to be easy. Good thing Marinette always had a plan.

"Excuse me," Marinette said sweetly, tapping on the edge of the librarian's desk. The woman working behind it turned around and smiled. " _Phew... I was afraid she wasn't going to be the librarian on duty today,"_ Marinette thought as she breathed a sigh of relief. " _She's the only reason this plan is going to work."_

"How can I help you?" the librarian asked politely. "Wait a minute... I remember you! You're that nice girl from before who asked about my grandfather!"

"Yep! That's me!"

"Is your friend here with you again today?"

"Oh no!" Marinette shook her head. "Not today. I'm here by myself. Actually, I was wondering if you could help me find something since you were so helpful last time. Does the library happen to have a copy of the blueprints for the castle?"

"Of course. This library is managed by the royal family and copies of all important documents are stored here for safekeeping. Unfortunately, the public doesn't have permission to see those. I'm sorry, dear."

"I understand..." Marinette pretended to sigh and gave the librarian a sad smile. "Thanks for your help anyways. I should've known it was too much to ask. I guess my research about Ladybug and Chat Noir has come to an unsatisfying end."

The librarian raised a curious eyebrow. "What do you mean?" she asked, intrigued by Marinette's words. It was obvious the librarian was a Ladybug and Chat Noir fangirl. Mere mention of the names got her attention. The poor woman had fallen right into Marinette's trap.

"Well, I'm really interested in Ladybug and Chat Noir so I've been doing some research. Their magic is really special and is deeply entwined with Paris's history. I heard they might have a secret hideout in the palace, the one place no one would ever think to look for them. I was hoping to search for it on a map since I'll never be able to visit it. It was the closest I was ever going to get to meeting my heroes, but now..." Marinette trailed off and dramatically sighed.

"Tell you what," the librarian whispered, pulling Marinette in close. "I'm not really supposed to share private documents with the public, but I'm sure it'll be fine in this case as long as we keep it a secret. I must admit, I'd like to sneak a peek at a magician's lair too so I feel bad bad stopping you. Follow me to the backroom. That's where we keep documents like that."

The librarian came out from behind her desk and led Marinette towards a door in the back of the library. The woman pulled out a key and unlocked the door. It swung open and revealed a room filled with large bookshelves and drawers. A thick layer of dust coated almost every surface. People didn't use this room often since it was off limits to most.

"The blueprints should be somewhere in these drawers," the librarian explained as she unlocked each drawer. "I'm not sure which one. Our filing system has gotten a tad shabby lately. We've been understaffed for a while and work never seems to get done. Hopefully you can find what you're looking for in this mess."

"Thank you very much," Marinette bowed. "Are you sure this is okay? I wouldn't want you to get in trouble!"

"It's fine," laughed the librarian. "Even if anyone found out, I'm sure they wouldn't be upset. We really just don't want troublemakers roaming around in here, but you're a smart, young girl. What kind of trouble could ever get into?"

"Uh-huh..."

"I need to go back out to the front desk, but if you need anything just call." The librarian left the room, leaving Marinette time to get started searching.

"Okay Tikki!" Marinette cheered as the kwami came flying out of her pocket. "The blueprints are somewhere in this drawer. Now we just have to find them!" She pushed up her sleeves and grabbed a giant pile of papers and threw them on a giant table in the center of the room. A huge cloud of dust formed, causing both her and Tikki to sneeze. The girls began to sort through each document.

"There's a lot of super secret stuff in here," Tikki laughed as she tossed aside another paper. "Documents about past affairs, political problems, and... even a recipe for apple pie!"

Marinette grabbed the recipe and started to laugh. "How did all this junk end up in here?" she smiled, sorting through more papers. "The royal family must send all their clutter to the library. Better than keeping it in the castle."

"Marinette! I think I found it!" Tikki dragged a large stack of papers out of the pile and set it in front of Marinette. It was definitely the blueprints to the castle. The papers were clipped together and each one showed a different level of the castle.

"Good work!" Marinette grabbed the papers and began to examine them. The castle had three levels, the ground floor and two upper floors. The first was for public affairs. The second was for private affairs and the third was mostly living space. The castle didn't have many entrances besides the front gate. There was another door in the back, but that was the only other direct entrance. Good thing the castle had a lot of windows though.

"Here's what I'm thinking!" Marinette pointed at a tall tower connected to the side of the castle. "We're going to enter through here. It's high up and I doubt there'll be anyone guarding it. We can sneak it without getting caught. Going in through the top floor puts us closer to Hawk Moth too."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well... we know he's hiding in the castle, right? People come in and out of the first floor all the time, so he's probably not hiding there or else he'd get busted. And even though the second floor is a bit more private, there's still a lot of people moving through. The castle doesn't have a basement either. That leads me to assume that Hawk Moth is hiding somewhere on this third floor or at least, that's where he'll be when we ambush him in the middle of the night."

"Great thinking!" Tikki cheered. "But where's he going to be on the third floor?"

"That I'm not sure. These blueprints don't say what each room is for. For all we know, some of them might be completely empty which would be the perfect place for Hawk Moth to set-up shop. Once we get there, we'll need to look around. There aren't that many rooms though. We should find him fairly fast."

Marinette felt confident in her plan. They knew where Hawk Moth was and could back him into a corner. He wouldn't expect her arrival and hopefully wouldn't be prepared to fight back. If everything went well, Marinette could sneak in and out without being noticed by the guards. Or most importantly, King Gabriel.

"Let's head out!" Marinette said as she shoved the remaining papers back into the drawer. "We've got everything we need! Everything ends tonight!"

"Tonight?" Tikki squeaked nervously. "I thought we were going to wait at least a few days-"

"We can't afford to waste time," Marinette shook her head. "You said it yourself earlier. If Hawk Moth finds out Chat Noir is gone, we're goners. It's now or never!"

* * *

Out in the backstreets of Paris, Chat Noir was sleeping atop the roof of an old house, basking in the sun. His slumber was interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach. " _Again?"_ he moaned, his eyes fluttering open. " _These scraps aren't nearly enough food. I feel hungry all the time."_ He missed the treats Marinette would always bring him especially the cheese.

" _Stop that!"_ he cursed himself. " _I'm trying to stop thinking about her. I bet she's doing just fine without me. Why should she miss a dumb cat when she's got her Prince Adrien?"_ The name left a sour taste in Chat Noir's mouth.

"Mind if I join you?" a voice meowed from behind him. Chat Noir turned to see a fat, tabby cat approached him. The cat sat down beside Chat and curled up in the sun. "You picked a mighty fine spot," the cat purred, licking his paw. "The sun's warm now, but when it sets in an hour a nice breeze will roll through here. I couldn't think of a more perfect spot to spend the night."

Chat Noir gave the cat a confused glance. He had never tried talking to other cats before. In the past, Chat Noir had always been a lone wolf as most alleycats were. Companionship meant competition. It was hard enough to find food as it was. Nobody wanted to share.

"So you're an antisocial one?" the fat cat chuckled. "I used to be the same. Name's Enzo by the way. You got one of your own?"

"A name?" Chat Noir frowned.

"Yeah, a name. Not every cat has luxury of owning one. Some of us just spent our entire lives on the streets. It's usually easy to tell, but I'm not sure about you. You're a mix of alley and housecat. Let me guess, been abandoned recently?"

Chat Noir flicked his tail and grumbled, "No... I left on my own."

"Rebellious, eh? It's a phase, kid. Most cats go through it. First you want in the house, then out, and you keep going back and forth until finally someone just locks you in. But in all seriousness, you should head on back. I bet your owner's there waiting for you."

"She isn't..." A brief image of Marinette flashed through his mind, causing his chest to hurt. " _She better not be,"_ Chat Noir corrected himself. " _We both need to move on and forget."_

"Was she a bad owner?" Enzo asked, letting out a yawn. "I've heard some crazy stories about bad owners. She didn't hang you upside down by your tail, did she? That's the worst..."

"No! Marinette would never do something like that! She would never hurt anyone ever!"

"From the sound of your voice, you care for this girl dearly." To Chat Noir's surprise, Enzo was oddly observant. "Why'd you leave her then? It sounds like you want to go home."

"I made a mistake," Chat Noir confessed. "I hurt her and I hurt myself. I couldn't bear to even look her in the eyes anymore. So I just left and promised myself I wouldn't go back..."

"That was a stupid promise!" Enzo snapped his tail against Chat Noir's back, causing the black cat to jump up in pain. "That girl could be out there looking for you as we speak! Humans are special that way. They don't let go of love so easily. Cats, we move on, but humans don't even try. They get attached to their pets. You probably hurt her a lot by leaving."

"There isn't anything I can do now!"

"You can go back! Show her that you still love her! By sitting here, you're a disgrace to every housecat in Paris. Cats are supposed to be companions. Your human master is your best friend, your ally, your partner!"

Chat Noir's eyes widened. " _Partner..."_ He hadn't thought about that word in a while.

"Don't lose what's most important to you," Enzo smiled. He cheekily nudged Chat Noir with his nose. "Once it's gone, you can't get it back. Trust me on this one, kid."

"You're right!" Chat Noir sat up and looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to set like when he had left Marinette a week ago. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have left Marinette. Even if she doesn't love me romantically, I'll still love her and she cares about me. We're best friends and partners!"

"Wait? Romantically? I think I'm missing something here... Your owner is human, right?"

"Thanks for everything, Enzo!" Chat Noir cheered. "Without you, I don't know if I'd have the courage to face her again. But now I know what I need to do!" Chat Noir looked across the skyline and spotted a small bakery whose lights were turning on for the night. He jumped off the roof onto to the next at full speed. He was going home.

"Hey Enzo!" Chat Noir turned behind him and called back to the fat cat. "By the way, my name's Chat Noir."

"Like the magician?" Enzo shouted back.

"The one and only."

With that, Chat Noir sprinted off across the rooftops filled with new energy. He couldn't wait to see Marinette's face when he got home.

* * *

 **P.S. Things start to amp up in the next chapter, but no spoiler ;P**


	17. Chapter 17

Under the cover of night, Marinette and Tikki prepared to make their move. They waited until the sun was safely out of the sky and the stars were out. It was difficult to see in the dark, but the light of the moon would provide enough light to lead the way. It was a full moon tonight which was hopefully a good omen. Tonight was the moment of truth.

"Are you positive you still want to do this?" Tikki asked nervously. She had been feeling as confident as Marinette earlier, but the more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. What if something happened? What if Hawk Moth caught them? Then there would be no more Ladybug to protect Paris. Hawk Moth would win and all hope lost.

"It's too late to back out now." Marinette re-tied her pigtails to keep her hair out of her face. With a satisfied look in the mirror, she turned around and gave Tikki a brave smile. "Ladybug's job is to save Paris so that's exactly what we're gonna do!" She raised her fist high into the air with a mighty "yeah".

Tikki giggled and said, "I've never seen you act like this before. You're really determined! You don't seem scared at all."

"You're right. I'm not scared, I'm absolutely terrified. But I can mask scared with a smile. I'm not going to let the people I care about get hurt because I didn't do my part! Let's go get him! Tikki, spots on!"

There was a swirl of red light and Tikki was sucked into Marinette's earrings, transforming the girl into Ladybug. She ran over to the window and pushed it open. A cool breeze blew through, easing her tensions. " _Everything's going to be fine..."_ Ladybug pursed her lips and took a calm breath before vaulting herself out the window.

" _I'll show you, Chat Noir,"_ Ladybug thought as she soared through the sky, her yo-yo latching on to whatever it could catch. " _If I win this fight, you'd better come back home! This bug's going to try her best without you, but it would certainly be a lot easier if you were around!"_ Her heart stung at the memory of him. She really missed her kitty.

Quickly the silhouette of the castle came into view. In the dark, it appeared ominous and frightening. Not that it was a welcoming place in the daytime either. The neverending presence of armed guards deterred any trespassers. Once the sun fell, it seemed there were fewer guards on duty, but there were still enough to effectively stop an intruder. Good thing they weren't expecting anyone to enter from the sky.

" _There's that tower from the blueprint..."_ Ladybug gazed at a tall tower connected to the side of the castle. Seeing it in person, Ladybug thought it looked a bit odd. It didn't fit in with the design of the rest of the palace. It was strangely dreary especially for being surrounded by the castle gardens down below.

It looked more like a prison than a home for royalty.

" _And it looks like there's a passage for easy entry. How convenient..."_

Not far from the tower was a huge tree whose branches nearly grew inside it. It was almost eating the side of the castle, but no one had bothered to trim the limbs yet. One particularly long branch was close to a small window built into the side. The window was tiny, but Ladybug thought she could squeeze through. She was flexible so a feat like that wouldn't be impossible.

Ladybug hid in the shadows of a house less than a block away from the palace assessing the rest of the situation. " _Three guards... no, four at the front gate. One of them looks like he's fallen asleep, but it's still too risky to go through the front. From this height, I should be able to swing over to that tree in one go. As long as I keep quiet, they shouldn't notice me. It doesn't look like anyone else is guarding the front of the grounds, thank goodness. They must all be in the back."_

Silently, she tossed her yo-yo out and watched it loop around a branch of the tree. She gave a tug to secure the line. Feeling particularly stealthy, she flipped off the roof and let the yo-yo take her. The sound of it winding up was barely audible above the wind. With a soft grunt, she landed in the tree without as much as a movement from the guards below.

She maneuvered through the tree, trying to keep all the leaves out of her hair. She shimmied down the long branch to the window and reached inside with her hands. " _This is a pretty tight fit!"_ she grunted as she pushed herself through. Luckily, she managed to sneak in, but landed on the ground with a _thud!_

"Ow..." Ladybug cried, rubbing her head. "Didn't expect a rough landing." She stood up and brushed herself off, noticing that she was covered in a thick layer of dust. In fact, the entire room was. Everything looked like it hadn't been touched in years. Not only that, but furniture was strewn all over the place. The bookshelf was sideways on the floor, the books scattered everywhere. The mirror was cracked and the dresser was upside down. The entire place looked like a haunted house.

"Creepy..." Ladybug breathed, shocked by the room's disarray. She expected the King of Paris to do a better job of keeping his house clean. It was even bigger mess than back in the library. But the disaster of room wasn't even the strangest thing. Ladybug hadn't noticed it before from the lack of light, but the moon now shone through the window, illuminating the floor.

Drawn on top of the wooden boards was a chalk rune. It was smudged in some places, but the original design could still be make out. Lying beside the rune was an old book. Ladybug bent over and picked it, the floorboards creaking as she moved. She tried to be careful since the pages were frail. She was afraid they might crumble by being touched.

Carefully, she opened the leather cover and examined the first page. " _This is a spell book..."_ Ladybug realized. " _That would explain the weird drawing on the floor. But who was practicing magic in here? The castle doesn't have a royal magician. I'd attribute this to Hawk Moth, but would he need spells like this if he has a miraculous?"_

" _Marinette!"_ Tikki's voice lit up inside Marinette's head.

" _Tikki? What's going on? Is something wrong?"_

" _Take a closer look at that book! One of the pages is folded over. I think you should read it."_

Taking her kwami's advice, Ladybug flipped to the dog eared page and read the spell. The words didn't make any sense. They were in a foreign language along with almost all the other words on the page. However, Ladybug noticed the rune in the book matched the rune on the floor. It was the spell that must have been cast in the bedroom.

" _Any idea what this means?"_ Ladybug asked Tikki. " _I can't make heads or tails of it."_

" _It's an old spell from ancient times,"_ explained Tikki. " _That's why a rune is used instead of a magical object. It's a spell for strengthening someone's magic. It's supposed to make you infinitely more powerful, but it seems unreliable. As you can tell by the state of this room, something went wrong when this spell was cast. Something went very wrong..."_

" _Do you think Hawk Moth did this?"_

" _No. He wouldn't be that foolish. Any sane magician knows casting a spell like this is a death wish. It's too unstable. I feel bad for the poor person who cast it. Something awful must have happened to them."_

"Who could it be then?" Ladybug whispered to herself. If Hawk Moth wasn't the one practicing magic, then who was? The room had been abandoned a long time ago as evident by the dust. The magician never came back to clean up. Maybe something bad did happen...

Suddenly, an awful smell wafted by, causing Ladybug to gag. "Gross!" she yelled, recoiling at the smell. It smelled like dirty feet and horse manure. Dropping the book to hold her nose, Ladybug searched the room for the atrocious scent when she spotted a molding piece of cheese sitting on the bed.

" _Cheese?"_ she thought, poking it with her finger. This mystery was getting stranger by the minute. First a messy room, then dangerous spells, and now cheese?

" _That's not any cheese!"_ Tikki cried from inside Marinette's head. " _That's a piece of camembert!"_

" _Like the stuff Chat Noir likes to eat?"_

" _Exactly the same. If there's magic and cheese here, Plagg must have been too."_

" _Plagg?"_ Ladybug questioned, rummaging through her memory. The name sounded vaguely familiar. " _Wait! Isn't that the name of the other kwami? The one who went missing?"_

" _That's him. I wonder why he would've been in the castle. Marinette, you don't think..."_

" _Hawk Moth captured him? I'm sorry, Tikki. I don't know. We can ask Hawk Moth once we beat him to pieces. Let's leave and search the rest of the castle. He's got to be around here somewhere!"_

All of a sudden, the door to the bedroom swung open, slamming against the wall. A cloud of dust filled the air, briefly blurring Ladybug's vision. It burned her lungs. Once the dust cleared, she realized she and Tikki weren't alone anymore.

In the doorway was a man with a stern expression. His hair was slicked back neatly, his glasses were high on his nose. His presence was intimidating which was odd because Ladybug recognized the man immediately. He was the benevolent ruler of Paris, King Gabriel Agreste. But why did she feel so nervous about him?

King Gabriel locked eyes with her. They were cold almost like ice. There was something ruthless about them. They didn't even blink. A shiver ran through Ladybug's spine. She felt locked in place, too petrified to move. " _What's wrong with me?"_ she wondered, shaking. " _I know I've been caught trespassing, but I didn't think the king would be this terrifying. He could murder a person with that look."_

"You must be Ladybug..." King Gabriel said, breaking the silence. He held his hands behind his back and nodded his head. "I've heard much about you and your partner's valiant deeds. I've been meaning to introduce myself, but other... obligations have gotten in the way. It's an honor to finally meet you. Though I must say I'm baffled as to why you're visiting in the middle of the night."

"Well... I-I... umm..." Ladybug wasn't sure what to say. King Gabriel raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response. Ladybug panicked as she racked her brain. Should she tell him the truth? After all, he was the king and she was trying to save him and the city. She was also sneaking into his castle. Maybe she did owe him some answers.

"It's a long story," Ladybug confessed as she bit her lip. "But I think the person responsible for creating all these monsters is hiding in the palace. I planned on taking him out tonight, but I needed to sneak inside. I didn't want to put you or your staff at risk so I snuck in on my own. I'm very sorry, sir." Ladybug bowed in apology.

"I understand... Is your feline friend with you this evening?" Ladybug noticed a hint of bitterness at the mention of Chat Noir.

"He's not. I've come alone."

"Perhaps I can offer my services then," King Gabriel smiled. "You claim this villain is hiding in my castle?"

"Yes, sir," Ladybug nodded. "I've believe he's hiding on this floor. Are there any rooms you don't currently use? Any places where someone could hide?"

"There may be a few. Please follow me."

King Gabriel turned around and Ladybug rushed to meet him. He led her through the palace halls which were decorated with old portraits and suits of armor. The lights were lit, but their glow was dim. Walking around gave Ladybug the creeps as did the glances King Gabriel kept giving her. His eyes seemed to be stuck on her earrings.

"If you don't mind me asking..." Ladybug asked cautiously. "That room back there... Who did it belong to? Why does it look like that?"

"Ah... That room belonged to my son, Adrien. After he passed away, the castle staff stopped tending to it. It was left as is in his memory." At the mention of Prince Adrien's name, King Gabriel's expression softened. He didn't seem intimidating anymore. He just looked like a sad father who desperately wanted his son back.

Immediately, Ladybug felt guilty for bringing it up. Adrien's death didn't only stir up bad memories in her, but also the poor king. Still, his response had made her even more curious.

" _Who was doing magic in Prince Adrien's room?"_ Ladybug wondered. " _I didn't think he was interested in magic. But then again, he talked to the librarian about it before. And why was his room such a mess? The King knows more than he's letting on, but why would he keep it a secret? Maybe it's too personal... I shouldn't pry."_

"Those earrings of yours, are they the source of your magic?" King Gabriel turned to her with a questioning glare. He had gone back to being scary again.

"Y-Yes..." Ladybug stammered, instinctively grabbing her earlobes. "How did you know that?"

"It was just a theory, my dear. Word of your magic has spread far even through these thick, castle walls. I've made a few guesses about you."

" _Somehow I don't think that's true,"_ Ladybug frowned as they arrived at a set of wooden doors. They had reached the end of the hallway on the opposite side of the castle. She had the feeling that there was something big on the other side of these doors.

King Gabriel pulled a key out of his pocket and inserted it into the door's lock. "I usually keep this locked since nobody uses it anymore," he explained, twisting the key. "It used to belong to my wife, but everything's been cleared out now. It's mostly empty." A click came from the lock and King Gabriel pulled the doors open, revealing the room inside.

Ladybug stepped in, her footsteps echoing against the ground. The room had a single window where the moonlight came through. It reflected off the wings of thousands of white butterflies that Ladybug recognized instantly. " _These are the akuma!"_ she thought with a gasp. " _This is it! Tikki, we've found his hideout! But where's Hawk Moth? Shouldn't he be here?"_

She heard the doors slam shut behind her. Swiftly, she turned around and saw King Gabriel standing in front of them with a smug smile. He dropped the key into his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Ladybug shouted. "Hawk Moth isn't in here and we need to..." Her eyes trailed down to the brooch pinned onto King Gabriel's shirt. It caught the light of the moon, shimmering brightly. It was shaped exactly like a butterfly.

" _Oh no..."_

* * *

Chat Noir waited on Marinette's roof for three hours before he worked up the courage to do anything. He sat there nervously, his tail swishing to and fro. " _Just tell her you're sorry,"_ he sighed, his stomach doing flips. " _That's all you need to do."_ When he left Enzo, he had been highly motivated, but the nerves were starting to creep back in. Would he really be forgiven?

" _I'm just going to do it! I'll walk right in there and say it straight to her face."_ Chat Noir held his head up high and prepared to run inside Marinette's home when a figure emerged from the window down below. It was Marinette except she had transformed into Ladybug. Chat Noir watched, confused, as Ladybug dashed away as quickly as she had appeared.

" _What's she doing?"_ Chat Noir wondered. " _It's the middle of the night and I don't think there's an akuma around. Why would she be transformed? And why do I have a bad feeling about this?"_ An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. He had a bad premonition that something was going to happen. " _I might as well follow her then!"_

" _But I won't be able to catch her on these four paws... Guess I'll have to go on foot instead."_

Chat Noir launched himself onto the next roof, now in human form. Luckily, his cat vision didn't disappear in his human body. He could still see in the dark and was able to track Ladybug's movements despite the darkness. She was moving further in the distance, heading in a direction Chat Noir had never been before.

" _Time to play a round of cat and bug!"_

He sprinted after her, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, chasing after Ladybug's silhouette. She moved faster than usual, a sign she must be in a hurry. The further from home she traveled, the more suspicious Chat Noir became. It was normal for her to run around in the middle of the night especially on this side of town. She had no reason to be here unless...

An intimidating castle came into sight. Against the white light of the moon, the scene was straight out Chat Noir's nightmares. He had been here before or rather, he had escaped here before. It was the place where his life began a year ago and if that frightening man was still around, Ladybug was in terrible danger.

Chat Noir felt the urge to call out to her, but kept his mouth closed. This place was dangerous and Ladybug knew that. That was why he and Tikki had tried so hard to stop her from visiting. Something must have changed in the week he was gone. Marinette wouldn't go against Tikki's wishes so if Ladybug was infiltrating the castle, she had Tikki's approval. That meant they had a plan in mind and it wasn't his place to interfere. He was the one that abandoned them, not the other way around. For now, he would sit quietly in the shadows and watch, confident Ladybug knew what she was doing.

The love of his life jumped into the large tree growing alongside the castle, escaping the notice of any guards. She climbed through the branches until she reached a small window on the side of the castle's tower. Carefully, she wedged herself in and then disappeared into the tower.

Chat Noir came down from the rooftop he was hiding on and trotted over towards the castle gate, using the shadows as cover. The gate connected to a long, brick wall that covered the castle's perimeter. Just a few meters from the gate, there was a hole that seemed to lead underneath the wall. Most likely, a rabbit or other animal had dug it and it was far too small for a human to sneak through. But it was the perfect size for a cat.

After making sure the coast was clear, Chat Noir shrank down to his cat form and sprinted towards the wall. He dug his paws into the dirt and shoved it aside, making a bigger hole from himself. He squeezed underneath and emerged on the other side. His fur was covered in dirt, but he had made it through.

He walked over to the large tree and sunk his claws into the bark, prepared to climb. Working his way up to the top, the branches scraped his body and the leaves tickled his nose. He nearly fell to his demise twice since he wasn't an expert in tree climbing. The only time he had ever been in a tree was when he had been climbing down this very one to flee. It was ironic that the place he had tried so hard to escape was now the one he was desperately trying to get into.

" _She's right in there..."_ Chat Noir thought as he tiptoed out onto the branch that reached the castle window. Ladybug was still inside the room, looking around. From what Chat Noir could see, the room was identical to his memories. Wrecked furniture littered the room and strange magic was drawn on the floors. The sight made his tail stand straight up. It seemed suspicious that no one had cleaned up.

" _This might be a chance to get my memory back!"_ Chat Noir realized. " _If I'm going to find answers anywhere, it would be here. But Ladybug is first priority! I have to make sure she stays safe. I can't let her get mixed up in the same trouble I did."_

He watched Ladybug through the window. She was just walking through the room, investigating the broken furniture and reading some kind of book. She was mumbling to herself, but her words were too quiet for him to hear. After flipping through the book, Ladybug went over to the bed which was out of Chat Noir's sight from the window. He wanted to move closer, but didn't want to risk getting caught by her.

All of a sudden, the bedroom doors opened, hitting the wall with great force. An intimidating man with soulless eyes stood in the entrance. His face was familiar to Chat Noir.

" _That's him! That's the man from before!"_ Chat Noir panicked, anxiously digging his claws into the branch. " _He's dangerous! Ladybug, you need to get out of there!"_ Chat Noir opened his mouth to yell, but only a weak meow came out. While in his original form, there was no way he could make enough noise for Ladybug to hear him. But if he transformed into a human, the branch would break under his weight and he would plummet to the ground.

"You must be Ladybug..." The man's sharp voice sliced through the night. It was just as chilling as Chat Noir remembered and he hated that it was addressing his lady. Chat Noir shifted further up the branch, straining to hear. Ladybug talked in a low whisper, making it impossible to hear anything she said. The man had his back to the window, blocking his voice. Chat Noir worried that the man was threatening Ladybug, but there was no way to tell. No one was screaming or fighting though which was probably a good sign.

The man opened the bedroom door and he and Ladybug left together. " _Are they working together?"_ Chat Noir wondered, scrunching his nose in disgust. " _Someone like him can't possibly be a good guy! I need to find some way to alert Ladybug before that guy or Hawk Moth hurts her. Why is she so naive?"_

Chat Noir leaped from the branch onto the windowsill and slipped into the bedroom. He landed on the dusty floor, eliciting a few surprise sneezes. " _Hasn't anyone called a maid?"_ he frowned, trying to itch his nose with his paw. He looked around the room and noticed that everything was dusty and dirty. In fact, everything looked identical to when he was there a year prior. Not so much as a single speck of dust seemed to have moved.

" _Weird..."_ Chat Noir thought as he walked across the room. He spotted an open book lying on the floor, recalling something similar in his memory. He placed his paw on the pages and began to sift through them. He eventually came to a page with an illustration that was identical to the strange markings on the floor.

To most, the markings would look like a child's art project. The chalk had become faded and smudged. The circle hardly looked like a circle anymore. But Chat Noir was positive it was the same image from before and now after learning more about magic, he was sure someone had cast a spell here.

" _Coming back here has brought back all my old questions. Just who was doing magic in here?"_ Chat Noir thought when his nose picked up on a delicious scent. Following his nose, Chat Noir hopped onto the bed and found a small plate with a slice of camembert cheese. The cheese had a strong aroma, probably from sitting out. Chat Noir's stomach grumbled, hungry for something substantial to eat, but Chat Noir ignored it. " _No time for cheese. I need to get back to Ladybug."_

Chat Noir jumped to the ground and ran through the door which was left a crack open. He spied Ladybug and the other man at the end of the long hallway. The man pulled something out of his pocket, most likely a key, and inserted it the door he and Ladybug were facing. He opened it and gestured for Ladybug to enter. She was starting to walk in when Chat Noir took off in a sprint. He wasn't going to let those two be alone together. Thankfully, the hallway was dimly lit, making it nearly impossible to see. Chat Noir slipped past the man's ankles and into the room before the door shut with a sickening _thud._

The first thing Chat Noir noticed was the thousands of white butterflies hovering near the ceiling. In any other scenario, the scene might have been beautiful, but it terrified Chat Noir. These weren't normal butterflies. They were intended to become akuma which meant that he and Ladybug had found Hawk Moth's lair. The only thing missing was the man himself.

* * *

"I-It's impossible..." Ladybug stammered, shaking her head. "It can't be you. You're the king!"

"Appearances can be deceiving," King Gabriel laughed as he adjusted the broach on his chest. "It's the perfect cover really. No one would suspect the king of plunging his own city into turmoil. Not that getting caught would ever be an issue. Who cares what happens to me at this point? Without my miraculous, I certainly would be dead by now."

Ladybug's eyes widened in alarm. "What do you mean?"

"Is there any point in living once everything you care about is gone?"


	18. Chapter 18

"Of course there is!" Ladybug protested, stomping her foot. "Why even ask such a stupid question? There are other people out there who care about and depend on you. Your existence means so much to others. How could you even think to abandon them?"

King Gabriel sighed and slowly approached Ladybug, his eyes staring straight into her soul. "There are sometimes more important things in life. I would've ended it all to have the chance to see my son's face again. I wouldn't be standing here if this miraculous hadn't given me that chance."

"Y-You're crazy!" Ladybug cried as stepped backwards. "Prince Adrien is dead. No amount of miraculous magic can bring him back to life!" She, just like the king, wanted to see Prince Adrien once more, but she couldn't deny reality. The image of his black casket was engraved in her memory. There was no magic that could bring the dead back to life.

"That's where you're wrong. Prince Adrien isn't dead. He's simply missing and if you cooperate and hand over your miraculous, I'll finally be able to find him!" King Gabriel had an twisted expression, a strange mixture of hope and insanity.

"Missing?" Ladybug thought. "But he was pronounced dead. I saw the casket. Why would the king lie about his son being dead? The poor man has lost his mind. He's trying to rationalize Prince Adrien's death, but can't see what's right in front of him. I need to get that miraculous away from him. He isn't in his right mind!"

King Gabriel reached out and traced his finger along the outline of Ladybug's chin. Though uncomfortable, she stood her ground and glared at him. King Gabriel clicked his tongue in disappointment and said, "I can tell you don't believe me, but I don't care if anyone believes me. My son is out there and I'm going to find him. So hand me your miraculous. I won't take no for an answer."

"Never!" Ladybug knocked King Gabriel's hand away and leaped backwards. "On the contrary, it will be me taking your miraculous. You've caused enough harm to Paris already! Destroying the city won't accomplish anything!"

"That was only a ploy to lure you out of hiding. I thought I might be able to send someone else to do my dirty work, but they were all incompetent fools. They say if you want something done right, you must do it yourself. I will gladly take your miraculous by my own hands."

"I don't want to hurt you! Please!" Ladybug begged, offering the king one last chance to back down. She tightly gripped her yo-yo in case the situation went sour. "Things don't have to be this way. Prince Adrien wouldn't want to see you like this. He wouldn't you to put all of Paris in danger for his sake!"

"How would you know what my son wants?" King Gabriel growled. He tore his glasses off and angrily threw them at the ground, smashing the lens. Shards of glass bounced up, cutting King Gabriel's hand. Drops of blood oozed from the wound, but it didn't faze him. "I won't let you deceive me! I'm going to bring my son back if it's the last thing I do!"

"Dark wings rise!" There was a blinding flash of purple light as King Gabriel activated his miraculous. Once the light subsided, Ladybug noticed that his attire had changed to a suit and mask like her own. King Gabriel had transformed into Hawk Moth and in his hands was a long scepter which was pointed directly at her.

"It ends here, Ladybug!" Hawk Moth beckoned with an evil glare. "I will have your miraculous!"

"He's an old man..." Ladybug thought, trying to think of a strategy. "He'll go down without much of a fight, but I can't beat him up too badly. I'll be in big trouble if anyone founds out I hurt the king. No one would hesitate to throw me in jail!"

Before Ladybug had the opportunity to strike, Hawk Moth held his finger up in the air and a white butterfly gently landed on it. "Isn't it beautiful?" Hawk Moth mused, bringing the butterfly closer to his face. "Such an innocent creature quickly becomes a monstrosity. I wonder what would happen if I unleashed all of these upon Paris?"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"What makes you so sure? I might be persuaded to do otherwise if you gave me your miraculous. You can't be in two places at once. Certainly, all these akuma would cause significant damage before you would ever get the chance to save the day. And like you said yourself, miraculous magic can't bring people back to life."

"He can't possibly be threatening to take the life of his own citizens?" Ladybug thought horrified. "What should I do? I can't let him hurt anyone, but if I give up my miraculous, I give up Tikki and being Ladybug. Do I have any other option though? The idea of people getting hurt because I made a mistake... it makes me sick to my stomach. I'm sorry Tikki... I know what I have to do."

"You win," Ladybug sighed, her head falling. "Please don't hurt anyone. I'll give you my miraculous, but promise you won't release any more akuma. End this game."

"Of course."

Taking a deep breath, Ladybug reached for her earrings and began to undo the clasps when a sudden green light appeared from behind Hawk Moth. A tall figure emerged from the light, but in the darkness, it was difficult to see.

But Ladybug knew that figure anywhere. It was the one she had been searching for for the past weeks. It was the one she thought she might never see again. But somehow, here he was at her side just like he always promised he would be. It was Chat Noir.

"Not so fast!" Chat Noir grinned, pulling his baton from his belt and extending it. With a running start, Chat Noir vaulted over Hawk Moth and landed in front of Ladybug in fighting position. His staff ran horizontally across his body, a sign of protection. "You tried to hurt my lady," Chat Noir hissed. "Now it's my turn to hurt you!"

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug exclaimed in shock. "Y-You... you came back!" Tears were beginning to well up. Something about seeing his face again instantly filled a gap in her heart. She had never been so happy to see anyone before.

"Did you really think I could leave you alone?" Chat Noir smiled. "What kind of partner would I be if abandoned you? I'm sorry... I never should have left!"

"Chat Noir..."

"You!" Hawk Moth shouted, breaking up the sweet moment between Chat Noir and Ladybug. He clenched his fists and his jaw tensed, a year's worth of rage and anger preparing to explode. Hawk Moth lunged forward and grabbed Chat Noir's shoulders, shaking the cat violently. His fingernails dug deep into Chat Noir's skin. "Where is he?" Hawk Moth cried. "Where is my son?"

With his baton, Chat Noir struck a blow to Hawk Moth's chest, knocking the man to the ground. "Stay away from us," Chat Noir warned, baring his claws. "Come close to my lady again and I'll show you how dangerous I can be."

Chat Noir felt a warm hand on his shoulder. "Don't hurt him," Ladybug said, joining Chat Noir's side. "All we need is his miraculous. We don't need to beat him up too."

"But Ladybug, you know what awful things he did to Paris. He put everyone in danger!"

"I know and I can't forgive him for that, but he's doing it out of desperation. He thinks he can bring Prince Adrien back."

"I can!" Hawk Moth roared, pounding his fists against the ground. He was sobbing as he held his head with shaking hands. "Tell me where he is! Tell me!" He could hardly sit up straight.

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged confused looks. Neither knew what Hawk Moth was raving on about. "Let me talk to him," Ladybug said, biting her lip. "If anything happens, be ready to attack, but we'll try to talk him down first. This doesn't need to be a violent fight." Chat Noir nodded and watched Ladybug slowly approach Hawk Moth.

She kneeled down next to him and rubbed his back, mimicking how Alya would treat her whenever she was upset. "It's okay," Ladybug whispered in a calming voice. "Who knows where Prince Adrien is?" It was important to let Hawk Moth talk out his anger to hopefully convince him to think rationally. If she could keep him calm, it might open an opportunity to steal his miraculous. But it felt like she was consoling a crying child, not Paris's public enemy number one.

"That wretched cat!" Hawk Moth growled, looking up at Chat Noir. "Where is my son? I know you did something to him! You can't hide it anymore!"Hawk Moth tried to stand up, but quickly collapsed back onto the ground. Ladybug caught him before his head hit the floor and kept him steady.

"Me?" Chat Noir yelped, pointing at himself. "That's impossible... I-I don't even know your son!"

"You were there on that night. When I came into Adrien's room, he had vanished and you were there instead! What did you do with him? Please tell me he's okay... please..." Hawk Moth's voice trailed off into a weak whimper.

"That night..." Chat Noir remembered. "Is that why he was so angry? He thought I had hurt his son. But there was nobody in the room when I regained consciousness. Prince Adrien must have disappeared before I got there, but why was I in the bedroom of a missing prince? I couldn't be responsible for... no, there's no way. I would never..."

Ladybug glanced from Hawk Moth to Chat Noir. "What's he talking about?" she asked warily. "I thought you didn't know Prince Adrien. Why does he think you hurt the prince?"

"My lady, there's some things I haven't told you. You know I lost my memory, but there's more to the story. I don't know if the information I have will be useful, but I don't think Hawk Moth is lying. Prince Adrien might still be out there and we need to find him!"

Chat Noir's heroic spirit overcame his jealousy. He didn't want his rival in love to come back and steal Ladybug away, but that would make everyone happier. If he could see his princess smile and bring peace to Paris, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. He would be the bigger person... err, cat.

"Could he really be alive?" Ladybug wondered, her spirits rising. "Would I be able to see his face again?" She could vividly imagine his face in all its smiling glory. After a year of wishing, would her dreams finally come true?

"You don't need to steal our miraculouses anymore because we'll help you," Ladybug decided. "If Prince Adrien is still out there, Chat Noir and I will find him. We're on your side, but I need your miraculous. We're not willing to trust you. Grief can drive people to extremes as you've clearly proven."

Hawk Moth lowered his head, not uttering a word. He slowly reached for his miraculous and unpinned it. There was another flash of purple light and he transformed back into King Gabriel. He stared at it for a moment before he set the brooch in Ladybug's hand and closed her fist around it. "I-I'm sorry..." he stammered. "Please... I just want my son back. I-I'll... I'll do anything!"

"After all those crazy akumas, this was all we had to do to stop Hawk Moth," Ladybug smiled. Relief flooded over her. "I'm glad this is all over, but Ladybug and Chat Noir's jobs aren't finished yet. We're going to find Prince Adrien!"

"Let's take him into another room," Ladybug said, slinging King Gabriel's arm around her shoulder. "I think we passed his bedroom on the way here." Chat Noir nodded and opened the door for her. She carefully lifted King Gabriel up. He managed to walk on his own, but lacked any energy. Ladybug worried he might collapse if she let go.

She lead him into his bedroom where Chat Noir started a fire in the fireplace. Carefully, she put the king in his bed and pulled up two chairs by his bedside. She and Chat Noir took a seat and waited patiently for King Gabriel to calm down. They didn't want to overwhelm him, but it was felt strange for their enemy to suddenly become their ally. Instead of forcing him into conversation, they decided to let him sleep. He looked exhausted, physically and mentally.

While King Gabriel rested, Ladybug turned to Chat Noir. "What was he talking about before?" she asked Chat. "I thought we promised not to keep anymore secrets."

"It wasn't a secret per se..." Chat Noir explained, giving Ladybug a hesitant smile. "I just didn't think to tell you. I never thought it would be important, but it might give us clues on how to find Prince Adrien."

"Then start talking, kitty."

"Here I go then... about a year ago, I woke up with amnesia in that room in the tower. I didn't know who I was or how I got there. The room was a disaster and there was a spellbook and rune on the floor. That's when the king came in, surrounded by guards, and tried to capture me. He kept yelling about his son, but at the time, I had no clue who he was talking about. I managed to escape before I was caught and that was it. I never came back."

"Is that why King Gabriel thinks you have something to do with Prince Adrien's disappearance?"

"Probably."

"But you had nothing to do with it, right?" Ladybug pleaded. She couldn't imagine Chat Noir ever hurting someone, let alone abducting or hurting a prince. It just wasn't his nature.

Chat Noir sadly smiled. "I can't guarantee that..." he admitted. "I can't remember anything. It's completely possible that before I lost my memories, I... I..."

"Get that thinking out of your head! We both know you wouldn't hurt a fly! Just because you don't remember doesn't mean that you're responsible. There must be some explanation for this!"

"I hope so..." the black cat sighed. "You really miss him, don't you?"

"I do, but that doesn't mean I care about you any less. You're my beloved partner and no boy could ever change that. I'm so happy you're back!" Ladybug grinned, her bluebell eyes shining. She wasn't going to let Chat Noir leave her side again.

"That means the world to me to hear you say that."

"Marinette!"

"Tikki?" Ladybug thought as a Tikki's voice filled her mind. "Did you see? We did it! We finally defeated Hawk Moth!"

"That's amazing, Marinette, but now we need to find Prince Adrien. Release your transformation. I want to talk to you and Chat Noir."

"Are you sure? King Gabriel's lying right here. He might see you."

"I'm sure. He has a kwami too. It won't be a big surprise."

"Okay," Ladybug murmured. "Spots off!"

With a pink glow, her clothes returned to normal and Tikki came flying out of her earrings. "Much better!" Tikki exclaimed. "I thought I was going to miss out on all the action. By the way, I'm glad you're back, Chat Noir. Marinette was a complete mess without you!"

"Was not!" Marinette blushed. "I was just worried. That's all..." Chat Noir stifled a laugh. Marinette was adorable when she was flustered.

"Chat, can you tell me more about this spellbook?" Tikki asked, sitting on Chat Noir's leg. "I think it might be the key to Prince Adrien's whereabouts." Tikki had a suspicion that Plagg might be involved too, but kept it to herself. She couldn't confirm if Prince Adrien and Chat Noir had a connection just yet. And considering Chat Noir had finally returned, Tikki didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Uh, sure." Chat Noir thought back to the first time he found the book. "It was opened to this page that had a drawing of the rune on the floor. I couldn't read any of the words so I have no idea what the spell does. At the time, I didn't think much of it. I just assumed someone had been practicing magic."

"I see... I think I need a second opinion on this. Nooroo, please come out. I know you're hiding, but there's nothing to worry about. We don't bite!"

A purple, butterfly-like creature appeared from King Gabriel's pockets. He looked nervous as he flew out and hovered in front of Tikki. "H-hello..." he stammered as he rubbed his hands anxiously. The poor kwami looked ready to burst into tears. "I-I'm Nooroo."

"Hello!" Marinette smiled, offering her finger for the kwami to shake. "I'm Marinette and this is Chat Noir. We're friends of Tikki's. It's nice to meet you! You must be King Gabriel's kwami." Nooroo nodded and shook Marinette's finger, but kept quiet.

"He's always been a little shy," Tikki explained. "His masters tend to be a bit overbearing, so his words tend to get overshadowed."

"Sorry for picking bad masters..." Nooroo grumbled.

"We all make mistakes," Tikki giggled, trying to comfort Nooroo. "But that's not what we're here to talk about. You and King Gabriel have been searching for Prince Adrien for over a year. Have you made any progress?"

"None. We haven't found a trace of him. The only reason King Gabriel still holds hope is because a body hasn't been found."

"So what was with the funeral then?" Marinette interjected. "Why lie to the entire kingdom? Search parties could have been sent out to look for the prince." Marinette wished she had known the truth earlier. She had been in so much unnecessary pain as many others probably were too. How would someone like Chloe react if she knew the prince might still be alive?

"The king sent out dozens of search parties in secret," Nooroo sullenly explained. "But after a week, no one could find him. King Gabriel's advisors pressured him into pronouncing the prince dead, but he refused to believe it. Even after the funeral, he kept on searching. That was when I met him. I wanted to offer him a way to find his son, but his grief led him to make poor choices. And since I accepted him as my master, I had no choice but to obey."

"So how are we going to find someone that's been missing for a year?" Chat Noir asked. "Especially if his own father couldn't find him. Our miraculouses can't perform miracles. In a year, this prince could possibly be on the other side of the world!"

"I doubt Prince Adrien would've gone very far." Nooroo shook his head. "I've heard that the prince was very loyal to his city. Unless he was taken against his will, he might still be nearby perhaps in hiding."

"Who's to say he wasn't?" Marinette frowned, her worries growing. "His bedroom was destroyed. There might have been a struggle. What if he got hurt? What if someone really killed him?"

"I don't think he was attacked," Tikki responded. "I think the destruction was the result of the spell somebody cast. I'm starting to think Prince Adrien's disappearance was more magical than anything else. It would explain why no one has been able to find him yet. Magic hasn't been taken into account."

"So what does that mean then?"

"It could mean anything. Magic is unpredictable. It's hard to say if he's alive or dead. Any number of things could have happened."

"Ah..." Marinette rubbed her nose, trying to contain her emotions. "I don't want to get my hopes up," she sighed. "Like Tikki said, he might really be dead. But if King Gabriel still has hope, then so will I. This is my way of repaying a favor. I'll find him..."

"We'll figure it out!" Chat Noir exclaimed. His confidence startled everyone else. He sounded so sure. After seeing the looks of dismay he received, Chat Noir laughed. "We're Ladybug and Chat Noir after all. We've fought every type of monster under the sun. Magic is what we know best. With some time and heavy thinking, I'm sure we'll find him and that's a promise."

"Thanks, Chat." Marinette reached over and hugged Chat Noir. He felt like he was blushing from the tip of his ears right down to his tail. He had missed her hugs so much. Nothing could replace the feeling of her affection. How he had survived without it was a mystery. In the time he had intended to forget his one-sided love it had only become stronger.

"I-It's nothing," Chat Noir stuttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Just a cat's honor. Wow, is it hot in here or is it just me?" He fanned himself, trying to make the sudden heat from his embarrassment dissipate.

"You're a silly kitty. Anyways, it might be time for us to go," Marinette said, standing up. "King Gabriel is still asleep. We must have stressed him out so it's best to let him rest. We can always come back and talk another day. In the meantime, I hope it's okay if I hold onto this."

Marinette held up the butterfly miraculous. "Yes, of course," Nooroo agreed. "I can't imagine better hands. My master needed to be separated from it. Normally, I accompany whoever has the miraculous, but I will stay with Master Gabriel for now."

"That sounds good," Marinette nodded, pocketing the brooch. "Chat Noir and I will do our best to find Prince Adrien. We won't give up!"

* * *

 **Not the type of fight you were expecting, right? ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

**I wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful comments this story has been receiving. I've been having a bit of a rough time lately, but reading the comments has really helped me cheer up. Thank you so much for the support!**

* * *

Marinette woke up the next morning feeling exhausted. She and Chat Noir had snuck out of the palace right before the sunrise. Both of them had only gotten three hours of sleep if that. Chat Noir could sleep the rest of the day away, but if Marinette stayed in bed much longer, her parents might become suspicious. She definitely didn't want them to discover she had snuck out of the house even if she had good reason.

Trying to open her eyes, Marinette groaned and threw off her covers. " _It's going to be a long day,"_ she thought, sitting up. She stretched her arms and yawned, still trying to shake herself awake. " _It'll be fine,"_ Marinette told herself. " _Besides, there's someplace I need to visit today and Tikki and I need to investigate Prince Adrien's disappearance. The world can't be put on hold because of a little sleep."_

Marinette headed towards her closet, tiptoeing around Chat Noir who was sleeping on the floor. He looked so peaceful despite his quiet snoring. Marinette resisted the urge to scoop him up and give him a thousand hugs. She was incredibly happy to have him back. For a week, she had stared at the empty space on the floor wondering if it would ever be filled again. But there her kitty was, sleeping soundly, as if he had never left.

And sitting besides him was the old spellbook from Prince Adrien's bedroom. Tikk insisted they bring it back with them. She was positive it held the key to Prince Adrien's disappearance. Now if only they could find the lock. Aside from the spellbook, Marinette had no clue how to find a missing prince despite her promise to the king. Her increasing worries about Prince Adrien's safety were beginning to stress her out which was precisely why she would be taking a day trip. She needed some time to clear her thoughts.

"Marinette, are you awake already?" Tikki moaned as she heard Marinette shuffle around the bedroom. "It's so early!"

"It's already 9:00, Tikki, but we had a late night. You can sleep in a little longer, but I have someplace I need to go today."

"Wherever you go, I'm coming with!" Tikki exclaimed, suddenly filled with energy. She flew out of bed and over to Marinette, who was changing out of her nightgown. "Where are we going? Does it have to do with Prince Adrien?" From Marinette's change in expression, Tikki guessed she was probably correct.

Marinette sighed and said, "Somehow you can always read my mind. I wanted to visit his grave today though I suppose it isn't really a grave anymore, is it? I thought it might help give me some peace of mind and offer a place to think." She slipped into her pink dress and had Tikki help her button the back. Marinette was planning to leave immediately after she changed and grabbed some breakfast downstairs.

"Should we wake Chat Noir?" Tikki asked, flying over to the black cat and hovering above his face. She poked his tummy, but garnered no response. His chest rose and fell in steady breaths as he slept soundly. Tikki started to giggle. "He must really be tired!"

"We should let him be. Look at him... he's exhausted," Marinette smiled, though that wasn't her only reason for wanting Chat Noir to stay at home.

"But he was so glad to see you again yesterday! I doubt he'd be happy if we left him behind."

"That's true, but..." Marinette trailed off. She didn't know how keen Chat Noir would be on visiting Prince Adrien's grave. The black cat didn't seem to much care for the prince once he realized that he was the reason behind her broken heart. In Chat Noir's mind, they were rivals and he was the one losing the battle. And even though Chat Noir had nobly offered to help find him, Marinette had a feeling it was only to make her happy.

Tikki frowned at Marinette, pressuring the girl into making the right choice. "Fine," Marinette sighed, kneeling down besides Chat Noir. "I'll ask him if he wants to go." She began to stroke his fur and rub behind his ears. It was easier to wake him up like this than by yelling in his face. "Chat Noir... wake up... Chat..."

"Meow?" Chat Noir's eyes immediately opened at the sound of his lady, but he looked bewildered. He hadn't been expecting a wake-up call.

"Time to get up, sleepyhead!" Marinette patted his stomach and laughed. Chat Noir always had the funniest expressions. "Tikki and I are going out for a bit. Do you want to come?"

Chat Noir quickly nodded and happily meowed.

"We're going to visit Prince Adrien's grave. Are you sure you still want to come?"

Chat Noir's joyful expression vanished. " _Prince Adrien?"_ he grumpily thought before feeling awfully guilty. " _It's wrong of me to be jealous of him. He's the one Marinette loves and I can't begrudge him for that until I meet him in person. If I deem him unworthy of her love though, I'll kick his butt, but until then, I'll grin and bear it. He means the world to my lady and if I can give him back to her, I will."_

Despite forcing himself to think those things, Chat Noir still felt uneasy. The pain of jealousy was gnawing at him and it was hard to overcome. The mere mention of Prince Adrien's name upset him, but he had made a promise to not only Marinette, but the king of Paris. He would somehow bring Prince Adrien home and whatever happened after that was out of his paws.

There was a green flash of light and Chat Noir transformed into his human form. "I'll go," he said, putting on a fake smile. "We should get going before it gets too hot out."

"Really?" Marinette exclaimed joyfully. Chat Noir's reaction was the opposite of what she expected. Maybe all the tension was in her head. Chat Noir didn't seem spiteful in any way which relieved Marinette. Secretly, she hoped that Chat Noir and Prince Adrien could become friends. They were similar in many ways. In her imagination, they got along great once all the romantic drama was out of the way.

Chat Noir nodded. "Of course, princess. Shouldn't I meet my lady's prince charming?" He managed to choke out that last sentence.

"Thank you, Chat! That means so much to hear you say that. I thought you might still be upset after that confession, but I'm happy to see you're okay. But don't push yourself! If this makes you unhappy in the slightest, please tell me. Like I said before, partners before boys." She held out her pinky finger and said, "And that's a promise."

Chat Noir grinned and hooked his pinky finger around hers. "Thanks, Marinette." Her words made him feel better and the gross feeling in his stomach began to subside.

"Great!" Marinette stood up and grabbed her purse off the chair. "Let's head out. It's not far so you can put on the cloak if you want, Chat. There usually aren't many people around so nobody should notice you." She tossed him the cloak and Chat Noir promptly put it on.

They met each other outside the house. Marinette had left through the front of the bakery and Chat Noir had snuck out through the balcony. After rendezvousing at the side of the bakery, they headed towards their destination.

Prince Adrien's grave was situated in the center of a large garden. It was far enough away from the heart of the city for there to be peace and quiet. People rarely came out in this direction unless they were paying their respects. Very few came to experience the beauty of the gardens. The flowers didn't exist to please the public. They were there to honor Prince Adrien who often wandered through the palace gardens when he was alive.

"We're here," Marinette announced as she and Chat Noir came upon an iron gate that wrapped around the entire garden. The gate was unlocked and she carefully pushed the door open, its squeak echoing through the air. There was nobody around but the three of them. Not even as much as a gardener.

" _Isn't this a bit overkill?"_ Chat Noir thought as he observed the garden. " _There are enough flowers here to decorate all of Paris. Talk about eccentric..."_

Noticing Chat Noir eyeing the flowers, Marinette bent over and picked a white rose, careful not to cut herself on the thorns. "Aren't they beautiful?" she smiled, sparkles in her eyes. "I've always loved gardens. There's something so peaceful about them. I don't think I'd ever get bored of all the flowers."

Marinette smelled the rose, then handed it over to Chat Noir. "Smell it! It's wonderful!"

"What an honor to receive a flower from the most beautiful flower of them all," Chat Noir grinned as he accepted the rose. Marinette violently blushed and tried to cover her face with her sleeves. "Don't be so shy," Chat Noir laughed, pulling her arms down. "We're not playing hide and seek."

"Chat, you're getting really close..."

"Feeling flustered? Are the tides starting to turn in my favor?"

"N-no!" Marinette stammered, her blush becoming even worse. "I've just become a little more conscious of these things since you left, that's all. Please don't get your hopes up."

" _After his confession, how does he expect me to treat him when he pulls a move like that?"_ Marinette internally groaned. " _And he's good at it too. What girl's heart wouldn't flutter at least a tiny bit after hearing something like that?"_

"I'm only kidding," Chat Noir smiled although he really wasn't joking. "We're here to visit your prince anyways. Wouldn't it be disgraceful of me to push my feelings any further in his presence?"

"Prince Adrien wouldn't mind. He was kind like that..." Marinette softly smiled as she imagined Prince Adrien laughing in front of her. Even after meeting only once, she could still vividly picture him standing before her. She imagined them together, laughing like fools, as they fell into a bed of flowers, the petals scattering under their weight.

" _She only has that expression when she's thinking of him,"_ Chat Noir sighed, his heart sinking. " _He's not even here and he's already defeated me. At what point do I give up?"_ Chat Noir paused for a moment and then shook his head. " _Who am I kidding? I'll never be able to give her up."_

"We're almost there!" Marinette grabbed Chat Noir's arm and pulled him along the brick walkway that led to the center of the garden. She seemed oddly giddy while he was dreading the moment. They reached the center and then stopped, both staring up in awe at what stood their.

It was a statue of Prince Adrien. It was like the one from the memorial service a few months prior, but even more majestic. It was like looking at the real thing if the real thing was made of stone. The statue's figure was carved in all the right places, capturing Prince Adrien's natural athleticness. Its face looked so human, Marinette thought it might start speaking to her. She could feel the same energy Prince Adrien had radiate from the statue. The sculpture must have been the best money could buy.

And at the base of a statue was a golden plate with the words, "Here lies our beloved Prince Adrien. May he bless the otherworld as much as he blessed ours."

Chat Noir instantly felt inferior the moment he saw the statue. " _Just who was this prince?"_ he groaned. " _He must've been a god! How could I ever compare to him? Maybe coming here was a mistake. I suddenly feel less inclined to help find him."_

"Hey, Chat?"

"What is it, Princess?"

"Could you please give me a minute? Alone with Prince Adrien, I mean. I hope that doesn't sound to weird, but I-"

"Say no more," Chat Noir nodded, holding a claw up to Marinette's lips. "Take all the time you need. I'll be over there." Marinette smiled, grateful that her kitty was so understanding. It was taking all of Chat Noir's willpower not to break down and cry in frustration.

" _So much for partners over boys,"_ Chat Noir thought as he wandered over to another patch of flowers. He kicked a lump of dirt angrily and sunk down to his knees. " _I can't let this jealousy get the best of me. I promised Marinette. I promised myself, but it's so damn hard to push it all away. I should be grateful just to be by her side again, but I'm too greedy. Why does he have to exist? Why can't it just be me?"_

Meanwhile, Marinette had taken a seat at the base of Prince Adrien's statue. She ran her hand across the golden plaque. It was cold like ice, a grim reminder that not matter how lifelike the statue was, it wasn't the real thing.

" _Don't worry,"_ Marinette thought as she looked up at the statue's face. " _If you're out there somewhere, Chat Noir and I will find you. I won't let you be alone any longer. I know how that feels. When you first disappeared, I felt so lost. I couldn't stop crying. My heart was broken in more ways than one. All it took was one smile from you for my life to change and that one smile has haunted me since that day. I never thought I'd recover."_

" _But then I met Chat Noir and Tikki. You'd probably never be able to guess, but now I'm a magician that's in charge of protecting all of Paris. You wouldn't believe me unless I showed you, I know. How could a clumsy girl like me be a hero? I wouldn't be a very good one without Tikki. She taught me everything I know. And what's a hero without her partner? Chat Noir is the reason I keep moving forward. To me, he's..."_

" _He's special. I can't really put it into words. He's my partner and my best friend. I could trust him with anything. Even though we've had our disagreements, I know he'll always be there for me. I almost lost him once and it was like when I lost you. I don't know what I would've done if he hadn't come back. Maybe I would've given up for good once I defeated Hawk Moth. What's the point in moving on without my kitty?"_

" _I think you two would be best friends. He has your sense of humor and your smile. If I didn't think he was jealous, I'd introduce the two of you immediately. But don't blame him for that. I'm the one at fault. I know about his feelings, but I can't seem to stop them. He knows I love you, but I wish he understood how much I love him too. I love you both, just in different ways. Sometimes I wonder if I hadn't met you first, would I have fallen in love with Chat Noir?"_

" _That's not how things happened though. So when I see you again, I'll... I'll... I'll really confess this time! I won't miss this opportunity. I know you won't return my feelings, but I need to let you know. That's a promise and I've been making a lot of those recently, but I'll really hold myself to it. Adrien, I love you so please come back safely. That's all I need."_

Marinette stood up, brushing the dirt off her dress. She opened up her purse and found Tikki fast asleep. The poor kwami had only made it five minutes before she fell back asleep. With a giggle, Marinette closed her purse, not wanting to accidentally wake Tikki up.

" _I feel much better after visiting his grave,"_ Marinette decided, her soul feeling lighter. " _I've really cleared my thoughts and promised myself that I won't back down. I'm going to find Prince Adrien and when I do, I'm going to let him know how I feel!"_

"Chat Noir!" Marinette called over to the black cat who was moping in a mess of poppies. "Are you ready to go? I'm headed towards the gate!"

"I'll be there in a sec, princess!" Chat Noir called back. Marinette nodded and then followed the walkway back to the garden's entrance, leaving Chat Noir alone.

Chat Noir stood up, not caring that he was covered in dirt and flower petals. He was about to chase after Marinette when he looked back at the statue. Something about the statue drew him in and Chat Noir moved a few steps closer to it. It was that familiar feeling he sometimes got when he saw Prince Adrien. He had felt it when he first saw Marinette's portraits of the prince. Chat Noir didn't know how to explain it. The feeling was almost... nostalgic.

But that feeling was easily combatted by the Chat Noir's jealousy. "Why you?" Chat Noir hissed as he banged his fist against the statue's base. " _You've been missing for an entire year. Why does she still love you? Please... can't you give her up? Can't you let me have her? I've never asked for anything in my life and I'll never ask for anything again."_ Chat Noir didn't notice the few teardrops running down his cheek.

" _She's my entire world. She's all I have while you have an entire kingdom. You could have any princess in the world so please don't steal mine away. I'd do anything just to have her look my way. I'd sacrifice anything. Is that wrong of me? Is it wrong to want my lady to truly be mine even though I know that isn't what would make her happy? A lousy partner I turned out to be... First, I abandon her, and now I'm trying to ruin her love."_

Chat Noir looked to the statue for guidance, but was only met with the everlasting smile carved into Prince Adrien's lips. "Damn it all," Chat Noir muttered under his breath. "Why did I think talking to you would do any good? I won't go down without a fight, but if you hurt Marinette, you're gonna wish you had really died." Chat Noir kicked the statue for good measure, to make sure that wherever he was, Prince Adrien had understood his threat. Marinette was the last person Chat Noir wanted to get trapped in this web of affection.

After wiping away his tears, Chat Noir ran to the gate to join Marinette. She was picking flowers when he arrived. "Finally!" she moaned, placing the flowers in her purse. "I thought something had happened to you."

"Sorry, princess," Chat Noir bowed apologetically. "Didn't mean to worry. By the way, should you be picking those flowers? They are from what's basically a cemetery."

"I thought they'd look pretty in a vase. Don't you agree? We could set them by the window. That corner of the room could use some sprucing up."

"You're the designer. I'll trust your judgement. What kind of flowers did you grab anyways? It looks like you've stuffed an entire bouquet in there. Tikki must be suffocating underneath all that pollen."

"She'll be fine," Marinette giggled, reopening her purse to check her findings. "I'm pretty sure Tikki loves flowers. Now let's see what I've got in here. Some tulips, a few violets, a couple roses, and...what was this one again?" She held up a long-stemmed flower with purple petals and twirled it around in her hand before the name came back to her. "That's it!" she smiled. "It was catnip!"

Chat Noir immediately stepped backwards and shook his head. "Better put that one back," he warned. "Cats and catnip do not mix. That stuff is bad news."

"What do you mean?" Marinette slyly smiled as she waved the catnip dangerously close to Chat Noir's nose. "This stuff is completely harmless to humans, but I would be curious as to what it would do to a cat."

"Ha ha. Hilarious. Now seriously, put that stuff back! You wouldn't want this cat to accidentally blurt out all your secrets because he was high on catnip, would you?"

"Touche, sir cat." Marinette tossed the catnip onto the ground in defeat. "I like being the one to tease you. It's more fun this way around."

"You're extremely cheery all of a sudden," Chat Noir noticed, raising an eyebrow. Part of him thought it was because of Prince Adrien, but he quickly pushed that idea down. The mere thought made him sick to his stomach.

"After stopping Hawk Moth, it's only natural to feel a little excited. The hard part of our job is over. No more crazy akuma!" Marinette gave a cheer and instinctively grabbed Chat Noir's paw. "But we still have work to do. Tikki said we could look into that spellbook later today and neither of us have breakfast in our stomachs. Care to grab a bite to eat?"

"It would be an honor, my lady."

* * *

 **That statue of Adrien is oddly specific, huh... wonder if that'll show up again ;)**


	20. Chapter 20

After getting something to eat from a local market stand, Marinette and Chat Noir made their way to the pond to wind down and have a relaxing picnic breakfast. The sun was out, but it was the perfect temperature accompanied by a light breeze. It was the first time she and Chat Noir had gotten to sit down and spend time with each other while not having to worry about their hero duties since he ran away.

"I didn't know kittens liked croissants," Marinette laughed, pointing at the giant pile of croissants Chat Noir was hoarding in his paws. The bakery made croissants on the daily, but Marinette never bothered to give any to Chat Noir since he seemed more keen on cheese than anything else. But when Chat Noir saw some freshly baked croissants for sale, he looked like a starved prisoner coming back from war. He practically begged Marinette to buy some for him.

Chat Noir nodded, his mouth full of flaky goodness. "I just had a sudden craving," he explained, accidentally spitting out pieces of croissant. "These are delicious!"

"They're not as good as the ones Papa makes, but they are pretty good," Marinette agreed, starting to eat her own breakfast. That's when she noticed Chat Noir had crumbs all over his mouth like a messy child. Apparently proper table manners weren't a priority to alley cats.

"Come here, chaton." Marinette gestured for Chat Noir to come closer. "You're making quite the mess. You have crumbs all over your face!" She reached over and gently dusted the food away, her fingers rubbing against his cheeks.

"I-I can do it on my own!" Chat Noir shouted, pulling away. He turned bright red as he wiped the food off his face. Realizing how awkward she had made the situation, Marinette also began to blush and covered her face with her bangs, hoping Chat Noir wouldn't notice. She wasn't used to being conscious of him in this way.

"I have to stop acting so weird," Marinette cursed herself. _"I don't like Chat Noir in that way. There's no need to feel embarrassed so why does he make me nervous? We had no problem having a normal conversation before, but now every time he gets close, I can hardly think straight."_

"Isn't the weather purr-fect this morning?" Chat Noir asked, desperately trying to change the subject. "And look up at all the clouds. Doesn't that one look like a dog?" He pointed up at and oddly shaped cloud that if you squinted might look somewhat like a dog.

"I think it looks more like a an old man," Marinette decided. "See? There's his eyes and mouth. And over there is the outline of his chin and his beard!"

"I kinda see it, but I still think it looks more like a dog. What about that one over there? It kinda looks like a butterfly!"

"Keep it away!" Marinette giggled. "I don't want to see another akuma for the rest of my life!"

"You don't have to it. Isn't it crazy to think? We really defeated Hawk Moth. A few months ago, we could barely beat an akuma and look how far we've come!"

"It helped that Hawk Moth didn't put up much of a fight. I never expected him to be King Gabriel and I never realized how much pain he was in. He remained so strong for the public, but underneath was a broken heart. That was enough to drive him to evil."

"I wouldn't call it evil," Chat Noir disagreed as he grabbed another croissant. "Just desperation. If you were in his position, wouldn't you make the same choice?"

"I don't think I could bring myself to put others in danger for my own desires. This is world is bigger than just me. I'd feel too guilty."

"Classic Marinette," Chat Noir chuckled. _"But that's where we disagree. If something happened to you, I'd send a thousand akuma if I had to so I could get you back. I can't admit that to her though. She'd only laugh and brush it off."_

"Yo! It's Marinette!"

Marinette and Chat Noir both turned around to find Alya and Nino running down the hill towards them. In their path was a small rock which Alya gracefully jumped over, but Nino wasn't as fortunate. He caught the edge with his foot and came tumbling down. He screamed for help as he continued to roll, finally falling face first behind Marinette.

"That was certainly a special welcome!" Marinette laughed as she picked up Nino's glasses which had fallen in the grass. She handed to him and then offered him a hand while Alya was holding her sides, nearly dying of laughter.

"You should've seen your face when you fell!" Alya grinned. "It was priceless! You were even clumsier than Marinette!"

Nino rolled his eyes. "Why do I love you so much again?"

"Who knows? But for real, are you okay? That was a nasty stumble. You're lucky you don't have stains on your pants otherwise your mother would kill you!"

"Nothing's broken, right?" Marinette asked, pretending to be the doting parent. She tapped his knee and made sure his arms were still bending in the correct direction. After a quick evaluation, she deemed him injury free much to everyone's relief. He'd probably just have a few bruises tomorrow morning along with the shame of falling down in front of his girlfriend.

"Thank goodness," Nino sighed, adjusting his cap. "I'll try and be more careful next time. I didn't mean to cause such a ruckus. Sorry for interrupting your date, Marinette."

"D-Date?" Marinette exclaimed. She looked back at Chat Noir who appeared as confused as her. "It's not a date!" she protested, biting her lip anxiously. "H-He's just my friend. Yeah... a friend!"

"Why haven't I been introduced to this friend?" asked Alya as she raised an eyebrow. She leaned in closer to Marinette and whispered in her ear. "Seriously girl, you don't have to hide it. Did you finally find yourself a new prince charming?"

"We aren't like that! I promise! He's just a friend I met recently and I haven't had the chance to introduce you two. That's all."

Marinette never planned on Chat Noir meeting her friends in his human form. She hadn't given much thought to that conversation. The cloak only covered his ears and tail, but the mask was still clearly visible. Knowing Alya, she'd have lots of questions and insist Chat Noir take of his cloak. How was Marinette going to explain that?

"Wait a minute..." Nino said, approaching Chat Noir who was turned away from the conversation. He, like Marinette, was in a bit of a panic. He didn't usually interact with humans unless it was to fight or protect Marinette. Nino placed his hand on Chat Noir's shoulder and smiled, "I remember you. You're the guy that came into the music shop before. I'm Nino! Remember me?"

"Yeah..." Chat Noir replied timidly.

"Marinette, did you know he's a musical genius? I'm so jealous! He said he hadn't ever played the piano, but then totally rocked it! He could be a pro!"

"Really?" Marinette crossed her arms. Chat Noir had mentioned playing the piano before and it wasn't the first time the cat had discovered a hidden talent. In fact, he seemed to be full of surprises and secrets. Honestly, Marinette wouldn't be surprised if Chat Noir also knew how to fly.

"I never got your name before," Nino continued. "You were about to tell me before you bolted."

Before Chat Noir could open his mouth, Marinette dashed between him and Nino. She clamped her hands over Chat's mouth and gave Nino a nervous smile. "His name's Chat!" she shouted, louder than she intended. Her voice always got a little loud when she was forced to improvise.

"Chat?" Alya frowned. "Like a cat?"

"It's a nickname. All his friends call him that."

"What a rad name!" Nino grinned, digging the nickname. "But what's up with the weird garb? It's supposed to be hot today. You've got to be sweating to death underneath all that. And is that... are you wearing a mask?"

"It's to prevent sunburn!" Marinette lied, pulling Chat Noir behind her. He ducked his head down so Nino and Alya couldn't stare at his face. Marinette didn't have a lie to explain the cat eyes. She playfully patted Chat Noir on the head and said, "He has really sensitive skin so his parents make him wear a cloak and mask every time he goes outside. It's excessive, I know, but it's better to be safe than sorry!"

"You make the strangest friends," Alya laughed. "Anyways, Nino and I will leave you and Chat to your date. Swing by later once you're free! We wanted to hang out for a while, but it seems you have better plans." Her last statement was accompanied by a wink.

"Sure," Marinette nodded. "By the way, how'd you know to find me down here?"

"Marinette, you're too predictable. When your mom said you weren't home, this was the first place I looked. You're always doodling or designing something down by the pond. And it looks like my guess was right on the money!"

"Oh and Marinette," Nino interjected, his tone turning serious. "Alya told me about your cat. We've been on the hunt for him, but there's been no sign yet. Sorry..."

"About that..." Marinette's eyes drifted over to Chat Noir before turning back to Nino. "He came home last night, safe and sound!"

"I told you!" Alya said, leaning onto Marinette's shoulder. "You loved that cat way too much for him to abandon you. Go figure he'd come back home once he got a little lonely." The unintentional accuracy of Alya's words shocked both Marinette and Chat Noir. Luckily, Alya and Nino didn't seem to notice the faint blush on either of their faces.

"I... umm.. g-guess you did." Marinette nervously rubbed the back of her neck, a bad habit she had picked up from Chat Noir. "Thanks for helping me look for him though. I'm glad that I have such a great friends."

"And it seems you have a more special friend here waiting for you. See you later, Marinette!" Alya saluted as she took Nino's hand and the two of them headed back up the hill. Once they were gone, Marinette fell onto the ground in relief. That had been a close call.

"Sorry about that!" Chat Noir apologized. "I should've disappeared when I saw them coming or at least turned back into a cat."

"It's fine, kitty," Marinette smiled as she sat up. "No harm, no foul. It's not like they figured anything out, but now might be a good time to head home. And I could use a handsome escort."

"Say no more."

Chat Noir helped Marinette up and the two headed home. They exchanged casual small talk, not knowing that Tikki had been woken up by Nino's clumsy fall. The kwami was sitting in a pile of flowers thinking to herself. Something about the conversation she had overheard struck her as odd. Nino mentioned Chat Noir being talented at the piano although Chat Noir claimed to have never touched one in his life.

 _"There has to be some explanation,"_ Tikki mused. _"And I think I might be getting close. Chat Noir and Prince Adrien aren't as unrelated as we first thought. King Gabriel was right to think they had some connection. It wasn't a coincidence Chat Noir was there the night Prince Adrien disappeared, but I can tell Chat Noir isn't lying either. Whatever happened to Prince Adrien must be in Chat Noir's forgotten memories. I'll need to talk to Marinette about this in private once we get home."_

Once they arrived home, Marinette had planned on heading back out to meet with Alya and Nino. She would find something for Chat Noir to do around the house. She'd prefer if he could clean up her room, but felt that might be a little mean. Maybe she'd find him a ball of yarn to play with instead. In the meantime, Marinette had sent Chat Noir up to the balcony to tend to her plants which were suffering from a lack of water in his absence.

While rummaging through her drawers for some string, Marinette felt a light tap on her shoulder. "Tikki?" Marinette asked quizzically. "Is something wrong? You've got a weird expression."

"Marinette..." Tikki whispered into her ear. "I need to talk to you about Prince Adrien."

"Prince Adrien? Looks like Nino and Alya can wait a bit longer. Chat Noir's on the balcony watering my plants. I'll go get him real-"

"You mustn't!"

"What do you mean? Chat Noir promised to help us find Prince Adrien. I know he might be a little jealous, but he has good intentions."

"It's not about that." Tikki shook her head. "I need to talk to you about Chat Noir too."

"I see..." Marinette stood up and closed her drawers. She sat down on her bed and Tikki landed on her knee. "So what's going on?" Marinette asked, drawing Tikki in close. "I'm not following."

"I think Chat Noir might have something to do with Prince Adrien's disappearance!"

"What? But Chat Noir insisted he didn't know Prince Adrien and he wouldn't lie to us like that."

"He didn't say anything like that," Tikki argued, pointing out the flaw in Marinette's memories. "Chat Noir said he couldn't guarantee he wasn't responsible. You were the one who put words into his mouth."

"I'm sorry, Tikki, but I trust Chat Noir. He wouldn't hurt anyone especially Prince Adrien."

"And I'm not saying he did, but I do think there's a connection. Remember the rune that was drawn on Prince Adrien's floor? That was a spell for increasing magical power and I think Prince Adrien was the one who cast it."

"And then something went wrong..." Marinette answered in a somber tone. "Magic is unpredictable. The magic got out of hand, but where does Chat Noir fit in?"

"Marinette, do you recall what you read about black cats when we read the origin story of Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

Marinette had to dig deep in her memories for that. She remembered the story in fairly good detail. The original Ladybug had been betrayed by her Hawk Moth and was forced to seal her miraculous magic along with the magic of her friends to defeat him. The original Chat Noir had been her pet cat who was gifted with part of her magic. And then Tikki had said something... something about...

 **"The story further explains that black cats are naturally magic beings. While they can't practice magic themselves, they are powerful which is why magicians in the past often had them as pets. If this cat was Ladybug's pet, he was probably the most powerful black cat of them all! But in order for him to fight and use that magic, she had to give him a human form!"**

 _"That was it!"_ Marinette remembered. _"Black cats are filled with magic, but can't use it. However, if they were transformed into a human, they could take advantage of their magic and become a powerful magician. That sounds kinda familiar... almost like Chat Noir's situation..."_

"Chat Noir!" Marinette suddenly exclaimed.

"Exactly," Tikki nodded. "Chat Noir must be a result of Prince Adrien's magic."

"But how's that possible? Was Chat Noir some kind of creature summoned from hell? No, he's too nice for that. Maybe Prince Adrien had a pet black cat that got transformed by the spell? But that doesn't explain what happened to Prince Adrien. Why would the Prince even be practicing magic? Oh, Tikki... I feel like we've discovered something important, but we don't know how to connect it to what we already know." Marinette let out a frustrated sigh.

"Don't give up hope just yet!" Tikki cheered, grabbing onto Marinette's finger. "There might be something in that spellbook that could help us recover Chat Noir's memories!"

"We can't use magic on him!" Marinette stood up in protest. "It's dangerous! The only magic we can trust is your miraculous magic! What if something happened?"

"But don't you want to see Prince Adrien again? This might be the only way to find him!"

"I do, but... but... Grr! This is so frustrating!" Marinette sank down to her knees and held her head. She didn't want to put Chat Noir in danger, but the longer they waited, the greater the chances that Prince Adrien would be in danger. And they were going off only a hypothesis. There was a chance Chat Noir and Prince Adrien weren't associated. What if their guess was wrong?

"Let's see if we can find a spell that might work first!" Tikki flew over and tried to grab the spellbook which was sitting on Marinette's desk. She grabbed it with her tiny hands and only was able to fly a few feet before dropping the book onto the floor. It was too heavy for her.

"Let me help." Marinette picked up the book and opened it. She couldn't read any of the spells in the book. Luckily, there was a short description in French at the side, but the actual spell was written in a foreign language. Not to mention, a book this size would be filled thousands of spells. Searching through each one could take an eternity.

"How are we going to look through all of these?" Marinette moaned. "And Chat Noir's going to come back any second. What are we going to tell him? We promised not to keep anymore secrets."

"I can handle this!" Tikki smiled. She closed her eyes and hovered above the book's withered pages. Marinette leaned back to give her some space. She watched Tikki remain silent almost as if the kwami was deep in thought. Marinette had no idea what Tikki was doing until Tikki opened her eyes and began to flip through the pages of the book.

"Um... what was that?" Marinette asked while Tikk continued to search.

"Just an old magic trick I learned from somebody. It makes it much easier to read through long books. Ah! Here it is!" Tikki turned the book around and sat down on the page. "This spell should do the trick!"

Marinette carefully picked up the book and skimmed the spell's summary. _"A magic reversal spell. It says that it'll turn back the time of even the most powerful of magic. This means whatever spell was cast on Chat Noir would come undone. But that doesn't necessarily mean he'll get his memory back?"_

"It's a good idea, but I don't know if this spell will work," Marinette frowned. "What if we end up turning Chat Noir back into a normal black cat? Then we'll be down a partner and a prince. We might not be able to recover his memory either."

"Marinette, you have to trust me. I'm confident that with this spell we will find Prince Adrien." Tikki gazed up at Marinette with hopeful eyes that the girl couldn't say no to.

"Alright... but we have to get Chat Noir's permission first. If he says no, then we aren't casting the spell. It'll be his choice to take this risk or not."

"I agree," Tikki nodded though she knew exactly what decision he would make. Chat Noir would do anything to make Marinette happy. He would even sacrifice himself. And while that type of thinking was reckless, Tikki knew it would come in handy. It was what had protected Marinette from all those akuma and Hawk Moth. Chat Noir might not be Marinette's prince charming, but he was her knight in shining armor.

"When should we cast the spell?"

"As soon as possible. You might have to put off your plans with Alya and Nino a bit longer."

"I'm sure they'll understand. We can't cast the spell in here though. You saw what a mess magic made of Prince Adrien's bedroom. We'll need a larger space without any people."

"What about Prince Adrien's grave?" Tikki suggested. "It's fenced off and there's nobody around. Aside from the statue, there's plenty of space! And it'll be good luck!"

"Sounds good. Hopefully, we won't cause too much destruction. I don't want to explain to King Gabriel why all of his son's flowers were suddenly unrooted. Wah! King Gabriel!" Marinette shouted as she grabbed her cheeks. "Should we tell him the plan? We agreed to work together after all. If it's about Prince Adrien, he deserves to know."

"We should keep it a secret! If everything goes well, then we can tell him, but I don't want to get his hopes up. We can't afford to upset the poor man even more."

"You're right..." Marinette agreed. "Maybe we can sneak in and visit him tomorrow to see if he's feeling better. Last night's fight really sent him into shock. I want to go back to him with good news! I'll go get Chat Noir then. Wish me luck!" Marinette stood up and headed up the stairs to the balcony, disappearing outside.

 _"I'm sorry for lying to you, Marinette,"_ Tikki thought once the girl left. _"I didn't want to get your hopes up, but I think I'm right." Tikki had a theory in mind that explained everything: Prince Adrien's disappearance, Chat Noir's amnesia and his mysterious hidden talents, the strange appearance of the destruction miraculous, and even Plagg._

 _"If we cast this spell correctly, we won't just be getting Prince Adrien back, but Plagg too! And then we can finally lay this story to rest once and for all."_

* * *

 **** ** _Things are starting to get exciting, aren't they?_**


	21. Chapter 21

**This is by far my favorite chapter to write and I hope you enjoy it too!**

* * *

Chat Noir was watering the plants, humming to himself, when he heard footsteps behind him. He set down the watering can and turned to see Marinette. "Princess?" he said, edging towards her. "Did you come to see my claw-some watering skills? Sorry to disappoint, but the show's almost over. You can always come back tomorrow though."

"Chat..." Marinette lowered her head and hid her hands behind her back, the way she always did when she was nervous. Chat Noir immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"You okay?" he asked, putting a paw on her shoulder. "If you need to talk about something, I'm right here. Don't hold back."

"Can we sit down?"

"Of course, my lady."

Marinette and Chat Noir sat down on the chairs outside. They were kept there in case Marinette had guests up on the balcony which was rare, but now was a good time to have them. She and Chat Noir sat across from her almost as if they were in a formal meeting. He patiently waited for her to speak while Marinette tried to organize her thoughts.

"Chat," Marinette finally began. "It's about you."

"Me?" Chat Noir's ears perked up. "Is this about that pillow of yours I destroyed? I swear it was an accident. My claws just kinda got stuck and by the time I pulled them out, the whole thing was shred to pieces."

"Pillow? No, nothing like that," Marinette shook her head, though now she knew what happened to her favorite pillow. "It's a bit more serious. Tikki and I think we might have found a way to learn about Prince Adrien's whereabouts, but it involves magic. And that magic has to be cast on you." Chat Noir said nothing and Marinette took this as a cue to explain.

"While I doubt you did anything to hurt Prince Adrien, it's hard to deny that you two aren't connected in some way. The fact that you appeared with amnesia when he disappeared... it's not a coincidence. There's a chance you might have gotten caught up in the spell Prince Adrien was trying to cast. Tikki found a way to reverse it, but..."

"But what?"

"It's risky. Tikki's said it time and time again: Magic is unpredictable. We can't be sure of the spell's effects especially since we don't know how the original spell affected you. We're not even sure why Prince Adrien would be casting that spell in the first place. That's why I want to give you the-"

"I'll do it."

"You didn't even let me finish," Marinette retorted, slightly dumbfounded at Chat Noir's quick response.

"You don't need to. I know what choice needs to be made."

"There isn't a choice that needs to be made! Chat, you need to decide what's best for you and not anyone else. I can tell by the look in your eyes. You weren't thinking of yourself when you said that."

Chat Noir reached out his paw and brushed a stray piece of hair behind Marinette's ear, giving her a sweet smile. "Marinette..." he said quietly, green eyes meeting blue. "What's best for you is always what's best for me. I'm selfish that way."

"Please Chat..."

"Everything will be fine, my lady. If you're watching over me, I know I'm in good hands."

Marinette's lip puckered out as she tried not to cry. She understood the magnitude of his promise. She reached over and hugged Chat Noir, her head resting in his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his torso and squeezed tight as if she was afraid he might disappear again. "Chat..." she breathed, her voice slightly shaky. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, princess."

Chat Noir held her close and rested his paw on top of her soft, silky hair. He could hear her heart beat loudly while her body shook. Her skin was warm to the touch just as his probably was. Seeing Marinette like this only affirmed his decision. To make Marinette's dreams come true, he would submit to his own demise if necessary. This hug might be the last he ever got once Prince Adrien came back into the picture so Chat Noir would savor every moment of it.

"We shouldn't waste any time then," Marinette said weakly as she pulled away from the hug. "Tikki's waiting for us. If we're lucky, we'll learn some valuable information to tell King Gabriel tomorrow and we'll be one step closer to the truth."

Chat Noir gave her a cheshire style grin. "I'll follow your lead then."

* * *

When they arrived back at Prince Adrien's grave, there was nobody as expected. The catnip Marinette had thrown out by the entrance was still sitting in the same spot when they arrived. Everything was exactly the same aside from the clouds which had gone from a pale white to a darker grey. Marinette prayed it wouldn't rain. She didn't need any more worries.

"We'll cast the spell in front of Prince Adrien's memorial," Marinette explained to Chat Noir. "There's plenty of room to draw the rune and hopefully it will bring us good luck." Hiding inside her purse was a piece of chalk needed for the rune and the spellbook was clutched tightly under her arm. Having the items on her person made her more anxious even though they couldn't do any harm on their own.

They walked to the statue which cast a looming shadow over the area. With the change of weather, it had suddenly become ominous. Prince Adrien's face wasn't quite as bright. It almost seemed foreboding. Petals were scattered across the ground, but even they seemed to have lost their luster.

Marinette opened up her purse and Tikki came flying out, chalk in hand. Neither said anything. Tikki went to hand the chalk to Marinette when Chat Noir shouted, "Wait! I want to do it. I mean, I have to cast the spell on myself, right? It only makes sense I should draw the rune too just in case."

"Just in case," Tikki nodded as she dropped the chalk in Chat Noir's paw.

"Can I have the spellbook?" Chat Noir asked, turning to Marinette. She bit her cheek and reluctantly handed it over. As much as she wanted to see Prince Adrien again, she didn't want to risk Chat Noir's safety. If she lost him for good, she didn't know what she'd do. Already, all kinds of negative outcomes were running through her head.

After tossing away his cloak, Chat Noir knelt down onto the brick and opened the book to the spell. Its rune was complex, but nothing he couldn't copy. He carefully drew the illustration from the book onto the ground, making sure to include every detail. He didn't want a sloppy error to lead to a greater mistake. Chat Noir wanted to come back to Marinette in one piece, so he would make sure everything was perfect.

"All done," Chat Noir announced as he wiped the chalk dust off his paws. "Does it look okay?"

"It matches the one in the book," Marinette nodded. "Next is to recite the spell, but now's the time to call it quits. We can always go back home and figure out something else. You don't have to do this!" she shouted, her distress obvious. She became more unsure with each passing moment.

"Chat Noir would never back down from a fight and he'd never back down from this either," Chat smirked, one hand on his hip. "A little magic never hurt anyone. It'll all be over before you can even blink."

Though he spoke confidently, Chat Noir's stomach was doing flips. He didn't believe in his own words. " _This is what I get for wishing to get my memory back,"_ he internally groaned. " _I'll finally get the answers I've been searching for, but I hope it's all worth it. Marinette better have the biggest smile on her face when this is over."_

"I'm going to hold you to that, chaton," Marinette smiled although it was forced. She looked up at Prince Adrien's statue and silently prayed. " _Please don't let anything happen to Chat. He's the most important person in my life, cat or not. If you're out there watching Adrien, please keep him safe..."_

Chat Noir picked up the spellbook and cleared his throat. "I'm going to start!" he announced, giving Marinette and Tikki a thumbs up. The girls nodded and carefully backed away. Tikki advised staying far away from the magic to guarantee they wouldn't be affected by it. Sometimes magic had a bad habit of latching onto whatever was nearby.

" _Here I go,"_ Chat Noir thought, book tight in his hands. " _It's now or never! Prince Adrien, you'd better be worth it!"_

He began to recite the spell, trying to pronounce each word as best he could. The moment he started to speak, the rune glowed a brilliant white. Taking this as a good sign, Chat Noir continue to read the spell, his voice becoming louder and more confident.

The wind began to pick up, but it wasn't a violent wind. It was gentle and pleasant as it picked up the flower petals off the ground and began to swirl around Chat Noir. As the wind passed through the rune, it gained a white, luminescent glow. The scent of flowers filled the air and calmed Chat Noir's nerves. A warm, almost ticklish feeling came over him as the wind brushed past his body. The warmth continued to spread until he could feel it from his ears to his toes.

Marinette and Tikki watched from a nearby bush, stunned by the beauty of the scene, yet equally terrified. Surrounded by white lights and flower petals, Chat Noir looked like an angel descended from heaven against the grey backdrop of the sky. But the spell wasn't complete yet and there was still much that could go wrong.

An ancient chant filled the atmosphere, beating against Chat Noir's ears. The voices sounded sweet as they echoed around his head. Chat Noir felt his eyelids grow heavy, but he tried to keep them open as he continued to read. The white light was so comforting. It made him tired and it was difficult to resist the urge to sleep.

Nearing the final lines of the spell, Chat Noir took a deep breath and chanted them loudly, holding his paw to the sky. " _Please work!"_ he begged as the spell's last words left his tongue.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of white lightning that struck Chat Noir head on. He collapsed to the ground, feeling like his body had been hit by a giant boulder. His mind was starting to go dumb as he desperately tried to claw his way out of the rune, but found himself trapped. The warmth from before had become even stronger, tempting him into a deep slumber.

Chat Noir's eyes began to flicker shut as he gazed out at a screaming figure from the other side of the ruin. He weakly held up his paw and smiled. If she was the last thing he ever saw, death wouldn't be so bad.

"Marinette..."

When the rune exploded in a blast of light, Marinette began to scream. "Chat!" she cried, her shouts tearing her throat apart. "Chat! Chat!" The wind picked up and threw dirt at her face, but she didn't notice. Instead, she raced towards the rune, begging for Chat Noir to be okay.

"Marinette, stop!" Tikki cried, tugging on the girl's dress. "Don't get too close or you'll be hurt too!"

"Chat!" Marinette's screams echoed through the air. Salty tears ran down her face accompanied by violent sobs. She had bitten her lip so hard that it had begun to bleed. Her head started to pound as she cried again. "Chat! Chat!" She collapsed onto her knees, red streaks down her face. And then she heard the sickening _thud_ of something hit the ground and her mouth went dry.

" _Chat..."_

Marinette turned her body away, not able to look at what she feared was lying in the center of the rune. "Tikki..." she sobbed, clutching her body. "Chat... H-He's... h-he's..." Marinette could imagine it all. The cold, lifeless body of her best friend, still a cheeky smile on his face. She didn't want to bury somebody she loved again. Why had she agreed to this? This was all her fault. He sacrificed himself for her selfish wishes. He had been so good to her yet he had been taken away. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair...

But hope was not lost. Chat Noir slowly began to regain consciousness despite his fierce headache. His body ached all over. He thought his muscles might rip apart if he tried to move. Clutching his head, he tried to recount what just happened. " _I was casting that spell..."_ he thought, running his hand through his hair. " _And then there was that explosion and..."_

That was when he noticed there was something different about him.

His heart skipped a beat as he held his hands in front of his face. Not paws, but actual human hands. " _What are these?"_ he thought in awe. " _I've got... human hands?"_ Then, he touched his head and didn't find the usual cat ears, but human ears on the side of his head. He looked behind him and there was no tail. Taking a closer look at his body, Chat Noir realized that even his clothes had changed.

He wasn't wearing his usual outfit. Instead of his signature black suit, he was wearing a white tunic and tan pants. Chat Noir touched the area around his eyes and only felt the warmth of his skin which meant " _My mask... it's gone! But what... what happened?"_

Chat Noir forced himself to sit up and admired his new body. " _I'm..."_ he thought, teeming with excitement. " _I'm completely human! I've got human hands and feet. There's no cat ears or tail. I'm not Chat Noir anymore, I'm..."_

He spied a silver ring on his finger which looked eerily similar to the black ring that appeared whenever he transformed. " _It's my miraculous, but why isn't it activated? It's always black when I'm in my human form. This doesn't make any sense... What's happening? What did that spell do?"_

Chat Noir's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of heavy sobbing in the distance. " _Marinette!"_ he remembered in alarm. Ignoring the raging pain in his body, Chat Noir sprinted towards her. The sound of his lady crying was more painful than anything else.

"Marinette!" he shouted as he hugged her from behind. He threw himself against her back and pulled her close, his arms locked against her chest. "Marinette, I'm okay! See? I'm alive! You don't need to cry!" As he rested his head against her shoulder, her crying began to calm.

The sound of a deep, familiar voice filled her heart with hope.

Feeling his hands around her torso, Marinette grabbed them, embracing their warmth. " _He's alive..."_ she sobbed, a rush of relief flooding over her. " _He's really alive. Chat..."_ But then she noticed the hands she was holding were not the hands of her kitty. They weren't sharp like claws, but instead soft like normal hands. Marinette quickly turned around and saw a much different face than she was expecting.

"C-Chat?" she stammered as her heart stopped.

"It's me," he smiled, caressing her cheek to wipe away the tears. "I'm right here, princess. There's no need to cry anymore."

"B-But you can't be Chat Noir," Marinette said, shaking her head. Her face was pale, but her cheeks were still flushed. "There's n-no way..."

"What do you mean?"

"You're... you're Prince Adrien."

Marinette had seen that face a thousand times in her dreams and could recognize it anywhere. The boy sitting in front of her was Prince Adrien yet he claimed to be Chat Noir. Prince Adrien cocked his head to the side and frowned, confused by Marinette's words. In that moment, she knew they were one and the same. Only her kitty could have expression like that.

"It was you all along," Marinette smiled, setting her head against Prince Adrien's chest. "This whole time I thought you were dead, but you were by my side instead. Adrien... Chat Noir... I'm so glad you're okay! You're alive!" She began to cry again, but this time they were tears of joy.

" _Adrien?"_ Chat Noir thought as he rubbed Marinette's back, trying to keep her calm. " _Even after I've narrowly escaped the claws of death and somehow became human in the process, she's still thinking of him. What can I do? She loves him too much... She's even confused the two of us. Marinette, why do you tease me like this? Why pretend I'm your prince when I know I can never be especially at a time like this?"_

"Marinette," Chat Noir whispered softly. "I'm sorry. I don't remember anything about Prince Adrien. And I don't even understand what's happening. All I know is that I'm here alive and holding you with human hands. That's all I could ever ask for so please don't cry. I'm sorry I let you down."

"I'm not sure he understands!" Tikki piped up. "That's why I brought this!" She flew into Marinette's purse and pulled out a small hand mirror stolen from Marinette's vanity. She held it front of Chat Noir's face and said, "Take a look at this!"

"What? This... it can't... Is this really me?" Chat Noir asked, admiring the reflection. A stranger's face was looking back at him. His blonde hair was parted neatly on both sides. Instead of slitted cat eye's, they looked like a normal human's. His skin was slightly tanned with some redness around the cheeks, revealing what had been hiding under that mask for so long. Something about this face bothered him. Chat Noir could swear he had seen it before.

And then it struck him.

He turned and gazed up at the statue of Prince Adrien. It was the same face. Which meant he, Chat Noir, was actually Prince Adrien.

It took a moment for that realization to sink it.

Chat Noir or rather, Adrien, went silent. " _I'm the missing prince?"_ he thought. " _H-how? I always assumed I was a worthless alley cat, but I'm a prince?"_

"Plagg!" Tikki shouted, jolting Adrien from his thoughts. Marinette pulled away from him also startled by Tikki's cries. They watched the kwami fly over to the rune and hover around something lying on the ground. It appeared to be a black kitten who was currently unconscious.

"Plagg!" Tikki cried, tears now spilling from her eyes. "Please wake up! Plagg!" She nudged the body, praying for a response.

Marinette and Adrien raced over in worry. They had never seen Tikki so upset before. "What's wrong?" Marinette asked, kneeling beside the kitten. "Tikki, who's this? Is he okay?" Carefully, she picked him up and held the body in front of Tikki. It felt cold which wasn't a good sign.

"Plagg!"

"T-Tikki..." The kitten's eyes slowly opened before closing again. It seemed like he was in a fight for life.

"Plagg!" Tikki exclaimed, grabbing her friend's paw. "You're okay! Don't close your eyes! I'm right here. We're all right here."

"Tikki... I... I..."

"What Plagg? Please don't die on me. Keep fighting!"

"I... I'm hungry. Got any camembert?"

"You idiot," Tikki smiled through her tears. "We haven't seen each other in hundreds of years and you almost died, but all you ever think about is food."

"Yeah, so do you have any?"

"Mind introducing us?" Marinette interjected. "Since I see he's clearly okay, I don't think we've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I'm Marinette otherwise known as Ladybug. You must be Tikki's little friend. I've heard so much about you."

"That's me!" Plagg boasted proudly, sitting up in Marinette's palms. He suddenly seemed to be all better. "Call me Plagg. I'm the lord of destruction or rather, Chat Noir's kwami." Plagg's eyes traveled past Marinette's face to Adrien who was standing behind her. A huge smile erupted on the kwami's face as he left Marinette's hands and gave Adrien a giant hug on the cheek. "Speaking of that idiot, you're okay! You owe me so much camembert when we get home after this ordeal!"

"Wait!" Adrien shouted, peeling Plagg off his face. "I don't think we've met before."

"Ha ha, very funny, kid. Stop yanking my chain."

"..."

"Adrien? What's with that vacant look? You're starting to scare me."

"So I am the prince..."

"Of course you're the prince. Did you knock your head on something? You're acting funny."

Marinette put her arm around Adrien's shoulder and bit her lip. "Prince Adrien has amnesia. He doesn't remember anything about being a prince. For the past year, he was Chat Noir and the entire kingdom thinks he's dead! Maybe you could help us fill in the details. Until he found me, he was running around as a street cat. Why did Adrien turn into Chat Noir?"

"A prince like him surviving in the streets of Paris?" Plagg howled, slapping his side. "That sounds priceless. I wish I could'da been there to see it. But as a cat, eh? Guess that spell really was bad news. I wanted to say I told you so, so I will: Told ya so!"

"Plagg!" Tikki hissed, scolding the kwami. "Adrien is having a tough time adjusting so please don't be rude. He hasn't recovered his memory yet. Up until now, he and Ladybug were fighting akuma and trying to defeat Hawk Moth while you have so conveniently been absent. Adrien should be the one harassing you instead of the other way around."

"It's his fault! I told him not to cast that spell. I knew something would go wrong. It sounds like there was a mix-up and he somehow gained my kwami powers in combination with powers of his miraculous. And to top it off, he transformed into a cat! This is why I said not to mess with runes. Ancient magic should always be a no-go!"

"Enough fighting, you two!" Marinette laughed, petting Plagg on the head. "All that matters is that everyone is okay now. There's no need to fight, right Adrien?"

It took Adrien a second to respond before he curtly nodded. He wasn't used to Marinette calling him anything other than Chat Noir. He was still having a hard time believing his name wasn't Chat Noir. It was like the story of the frog prince except he had been a cat and there were no kisses involved. But prince or not, he had a special princess that had managed to save the day just like she always did.

"What are we still doing here!" Marinette stood up and released Plagg from her hands. "We need to tell King Gabriel that Adrien is alive! We need to tell the entire kingdom!"

Marinette's heart was still aflutter whenever she glanced at Prince Adrien. She could still hardly believe he was the same dopey cat that she had been living with. She was so happy that she wanted to tell all of Paris!

"King Gabriel?" Adrien said hesitantly.

"That's right. He's your father."

"My father..." Adrien remembered Hawk Moth's cold glare and a chill ran through his spine. Since becoming Chat Noir, he had been running away from his own father. King Gabriel had selfishly placed his own kingdom in danger and threatened Marinette. In Chat Noir's eyes, King Gabriel could only be a villain. How could he now see him as a father?"

"Adrien..."

There was a faint gust of wind that blew the clouds away, letting through stray rays of sunshine. Marinette straightened out her dress and tugged on her pigtails nervously. Her heart was beating so fast, she thought it might explode, but she had made a promise to herself and she intended to keep it.

"Marinette? What is it?"

"I...I..." The words wouldn't come out. Marinette wanted to say them so badly, but they made her feel dirty. She had rejected Chat Noir and broken his heart. To say "I love you" to him as Prince Adrien was a betrayal of both his and her feelings. Of course she loved Chat Noir, but he was always a friend. And she loved Prince Adrien, but he had always been unattainable to her. Now that she could have them both, Marinette didn't know what to do.

"Marinette?" Adrien noticed the uneasiness on her face. Prince or not, he wasn't going to let his lady be sad. He might not be Chat Noir anymore, but he would forever be her partner and her friend. There might be a palace waiting for him, but he preferred to be by her side. Wanting to comfort the girl, Adrien grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Don't be sad," he whispered, running the back of his hand along her cheek. "This is a dream come true. I've finally discovered who I truly am because you helped me break the spell. We should be celebrating!" He let out a quiet cheer, but it didn't seem to amuse Marinette.

"I'm sorry," Marinette said softly, in a voice almost too quiet to hear. She hung her head in shame and started to cry again. "I'm so selfish. I want you all to myself, but I don't deserve you. I-I rejected you and-"

"It's okay, Marinette. This doesn't have to change anything. Even if it hurts, you have the right to reject me. I want you to find your prince charming and be happy. That's all I could ever want. I finally found my own dream. It's for you to be happy."

"But my prince charming is-"

"..." Adrien turned away from her, his heart stinging at the reminder. He claimed to be okay, but it wouldn't change the fact that he was the loser.

"My prince charming is you."

And in that moment, Adrien felt like he had died and gone to heaven. He, the same boy that had pining after Marinette for months, had actually been her prince charming the entire time. He had been his own worst enemy. But here he was, gifted with a human body and the face of her prince. And although he couldn't remember anything about his past, the name had to at least count for something.

"I'm... your prince charming?" Adrien repeated carefully, making sure he had heard every word correctly. Then a smile spread across his face as he began to whoop and holler. "I'm her prince charming... I'm her prince! Marinette, you've been in love with me this whole time?"

"Well yes, but-"

Her words were cut off as Adrien swept her off her feet and hoisted her high into the air as he spun her around in a circle. "Adrien!" Marinette cried. "What are you doing?" Her question could barely be heard above the prince's joyous laughter. "Adrien! Put me down!"

"Sorry, princess!" Adrien apologized, returning Marinette to the ground. "I just got so excited!"

"About what?"

"Don't you see? We can finally be together now. We've been in love with each other this whole time. There's no need to hold back anymore. Marinette, I can proudly say I'm in love with you and I have been almost since the moment we met. Will you return my feelings this time?"

It was strange to hear Chat Noir's words coming from Prince Adrien's mouth. They were the same, but Marinette still struggled to wrap her head around it. And the feeling of guilt kept growing in the pit of her stomach. Despite her furious blush which was an obvious indicator of her feelings, Marinette felt conflicted.

"How are you okay with this?" she smiled sadly. "Isn't it wrong of me to be in love with you as Prince Adrien and not as Chat Noir? I was in love with an illusion of you from only one meeting, but not the real you I saw everyday. How can that be true love?"

"Why can't it be? You were always by my side and acted as my closest ally. We were best friends and partners. Isn't that a form of love? It is to me. Marinette, I love you more than anything in the world and you know that. Chat Noir, Prince Adrien, it's all me. So won't you love me too?"

He looked at her with bright, emerald eyes just like on the day they met. Suddenly, Marinette remembered why she had fallen in love with him in the first place. " _It was his kindness and that smile,"_ she thought. " _And as Chat Noir, neither of those things changed. I tried to deny that I could ever feel anything for Chat because I was so focused on Prince Adrien, but perhaps the things I loved about Prince Adrien were the things I loved about Chat too..."_

"I do love you!" Marinette exclaimed as she threw her arms around Prince Adrien in a warm embrace. "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings before, but now I know I've been in love with you this entire time." Marinette felt Adrien's hands wrap around her body, pulling her close.

Their foreheads touched, though she was slightly shorter than him. Both were beaming, unable to contain their delight. Their cheeks were painted pink and their breath hot from the final realization of their feelings. They laughed at their silliness until their eyes met and both went quiet. Adrien's hands left Marinette's back and traveled up to her chin where they rested delicately underneath. He lifted her chin and drew even closer, seizing the chance of his dreams.

"May I?"

"Absolutely, chaton."

Marinette closed her eyes, inviting Adrien in. He was frozen in place for a moment, still wondering how he had someone how won the prize of his lady's kiss. He pulled her waist close and took a deep breath. And then, he leaned in close and closed his own eyes.

Their lips connected and jolt of electricity shocked them both. Marinette's lips were soft and sweet like Adrien always imagined they would be. His were rough and chapped, but Marinette didn't mind. The kiss was gentle, a sign of their hesitation. Neither had done anything like this before, but even for the first time, it still felt so right. The wind blew past their ears, edging them on. Nature seemed to celebrate their connection as a warm ray of sun illuminated the area around them.

They pulled away to catch a breath of fresh air. The kiss had been oddly refreshing and once they separated, both found themselves laughing again. They were high on their own happiness and it was the greatest feeling in the world.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you look under the sunlight?" Adrien grinned, relishing in his victory.

"Have I ever told you what a flirt you are?" Marinette retorted, throwing her head back in giggles. "I didn't know princes were the kittenish type."

"I'm more of an alley cat than a prince," Adrien sighed, holding his head in his hands. The mood suddenly dropped. "I still can't believe it. I have a father waiting for me in a giant castle. There's an entire kingdom mourning my death. I'm a prince who probably has royal responsibilities and duties. How can I handle all that? I don't remember a thing. I'm a stranger to my own life."

"But you won't be alone." Marinette gave him a reassuring smile. "We're partners, aren't we? I'd never abandon you. You'll always have me by your side."

"And me!" Tikki interrupted, flying in between the two lovebirds. "I might not be your kwami, but you're one of the best Chat Noir's I've ever seen! You were always a friend to Marinette and me. Consider Ladybug's luck on your side whenever you need it!"

"Thanks, Tikki." Adrien patted the kwami on the head as Plagg came into view, arms crossed and pouting.

"You really don't remember a thing," he frowned, his whiskers bouncing up and down.

"I don't. I'm sorry."

"Guess I'll have to fill you in on everything," Plagg sighed. "You and I were best friends. You gave me camembert whenever I wanted and let me sleep on the nicest pillows in the palace. You basically treated me like a god among cats, practically bowing at my feet and obeying my every command."

"I thought I told you enough teasing!" Tikki flew over and clamped her hand over Plagg's mouth. "Sorry about him. He gets out of hand easily. Don't listen to a word he says except about you two being friends. You two seem like the types that would get along."

"That's good to know," Adrien laughed. He offered his finger out to Plagg with a friendly smile. "I should probably reintroduce myself. I'm Chat Noir or rather Adrien. It's nice to meet you again."

Plagg shook Adrien's finger, pretending to be unamused. However, he was secretly grateful that Adrien was alive and well. If anything had happened to his kitten, Plagg would've never been able to move on. It was heartbreaking for him to see Adrien fumble around as practically a new human being, but maybe this was an opportunity for a new beginning. Perhaps the memories would come back with time.

 _Grumble_

"That's my stomach!" Plagg groaned as he patted his tummy. "I'm still starving. Let's head back to the palace and get some cheese. I can already imagine the delicious, gooey camembert..." Small dribbles of drool fell from his mouth.

"Food isn't the only business we need to take care of," Adrien said, standing up tall. "It's about time I go meet my father."

* * *

 **We can't have a happy ending just yet, now can we?**


	22. Chapter 22

The walk to the castle felt all too long. Neither Adrien nor Marinette said a word. Both were furiously blushing as they walked, hands interlocked. Plagg and Tikki hid in Marinette's purse. As they ventured through town, they received a few strange glances. Some people stared them down for a moment or two, then shook their head, believing they had seen the impossible.

Adrien noticed the stares. It only caused the knot in his stomach to grow even tighter. Already, he wondered if this was the right choice. Maybe it would be better to cast the spell again and turn back into a cat. There would certainly be less people watching him that way. As they neared the castle, his heartbeat quickened and his breath became labored. The only thing keeping him calm was his lady's hand.

The castle came into view. "Wait here," Marinette told Adrien as they approached the castle gate. "I'll talk to the guards. Hopefully they won't cause too much of a fuss." Adrien nodded as Marinette walked up to two guards, protecting the entrance. Both brandished their swords as the young girl came close, giving her a cautious look. They were trained to be on their guard no matter what.

"Excuse me..." Marinette politely began as she bent over and curtsied. "Would you let me and my friend in? We need to see King Gabriel. It's incredibly important."

"Did ya hear that?" one of the guards howled, slapping his hand against his metal armor. He turned to his partner and said, "She wants us to let her in. Says it's important."

"But it is!"

"Run along kid!" the other guard frowned as he sheathed his sword. "We ain't got time to mess around. This is a serious job and we definitely ain't letting some snot nosed brat see the king."

"B-brat?" Marinette repeated, feeling offended. She had politely asked them to let her in, but they didn't have to be rude when denying her. The guards' teasing didn't stop there either. Marinette's blood began to boil as the guards continued to poke fun at her.

"Why would a girl like you want to see the king anyways? You look like an urchin off the streets."

Marinette looked down at her dress and realized she was quite dirty. She had been sitting in the grass while they were visiting Prince Adrien's grave and had gotten dirt everywhere. She was so preoccupied with taking Adrien home that she had forgotten to clean up. Prince Adrien probably looked the same.

"I need to speak with King Gabriel!" Marinette shouted, trying to push her way past the guards. "Please let me in!"

Both guards grabbed her arms and pulled her back, roughly tossing her onto the ground. "Beat it, kid," one of them sneered, kicking dirt in her direction. "Or else things are really going to get ugly."

"What are you doing to my lady!"

A shadow fell over Marinette and she looked up to see an angry Adrien. His fists were clenched and his muscles tensed, a sign he was ready for a fight. Anybody that dared to hurt Marinette would get a piece of his mind. His anxiety melted away to his natural heroic instincts and the desire to protect the girl he loved.

Marinette grabbed his hand and pulled herself up, resting on his shoulder. "It's not worth it, Adrien," Marinette sighed, trying to calm him down. "We'll have to find another way in later tonight."

"A-Adrien?" the other guard stammered, pointing a shaking finger at the boy. "As in P-prince Adrien?"

"Idiot!" the guard's friend knocked him on the head. "You know Prince Adrien's been dead for over a year."

"But look at his face, man! He looks exactly like the prince!" Both guards went silent.

"If you both would kindly stop harassing my lady and I and let us in, it would be greatly appreciated." Adrien held his fists behind his back and smiled, but it was the kind of forced smile that showed he meant business. He wasn't afraid to let fists fly especially if it meant defending Marinette.

The guards stood frozen like statues. Adrien hissed, a bad habit he picked up from life on the streets. "Let us in now and we won't tell my father." His eyes glowed an eerie green, making him even more intimidating.

"Yes sir!" the guards saluted as they immediately ran to open the gate. They removed the lock and opened the doors, gesturing for Adrien and Marinette to enter. The teens walked through, Marinette closely holding onto Adrien's arm. She nodded at the guards as they passed while Adrien stared forward, pretending not to notice them. After they walked through, the guards closed the gate, their entire bodies shaking in terror. They thought they had just met a real life ghost!

"I didn't know you could be so forceful," Marinette whispered as she released her grip on Adrien. "I thought you really were going to beat them up."

"I'll take down anyone that tries to hurt you," Adrien smiled, patting Marinette on the head.

"Being Chat Noir has certainly made you rough around the edges. Princes don't normally get into fist fights."

"I'm a prince in name only. I don't know what I was like before, but right now I certainly don't feel very royal. I'm probably the worst prince in existence. I had a hard time entering my own palace!"

"That's not true," Marinette giggled as she stepped in front of him. She grabbed his hands and began to spin around, dancing. "You're an excellent dancer and I've heard your piano skills are quite good. You can't cook to save your life, but there are people to do that for you. Most importantly, you've got a selfless heart and that's the only thing a good prince needs."

"He might need one more thing." Adrien dipped Marinette backwards, carefully supporting her back with hands. "His princess," he grinned, ignoring the scowls of Plagg who was sticking his head out. The black cat was quickly getting tired of mushy romance.

"You'd be amazing on your own, but I admit you'd be even more amazing with me." Marinette pulled herself back up and playfully pushed Adrien away with her finger. "Still, I'm no princess, just a baker's daughter."

"And Paris's greatest hero."

"That too, but what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't worry. No one is expecting anything from you so don't be too hard on yourself. Chat Noir was always a confident kitty and you shouldn't be any different. I think you'll make a wonderful prince." Adrien only blushed in response, grateful for having Marinette.

But his blush quickly vanished, replaced by a sense of uneasiness. The palace still looked so menacing. Inside was man everyone called his father except for him. A man he had come to fear.

"Here..." Marinette said. She grabbed Adrien's hand and pushed something into it, closing his fingers around the object. "This might make you feel better."

Adrien opened his hand, revealing King Gabriel's broach. It was the butterfly miraculous. "But why?" Adrien asked with a frown.

With a slight smile, Marinette began to explain. "Your father was driven to desperate measures. He used that miraculous to put people in danger all because he cared about you. I can tell you're nervous about seeing him. Things may be rough, but this is a reminder that he loves you. I truly believe that."

"Thank you..."

"Of course. Now, let's go inside!"

They walked up to the castle's giant wooden doors which was normally the entrance during balls and such. Before Marinette had the chance to knock, the door swung open and revealed a slender young woman in glasses and a red streak in her hair. At first the woman was calm, but when she looked over at Adrien, the disbelief in her eyes was clear.

"My prince..." the woman bowed. "Though I do not know what has transpired, I welcome you home."

"Um... thanks?" Adrien replied hesitantly. He hadn't the faintest idea who this woman could be, but decided to play along. "Would you... err... be able to take me to my father? I need to speak to him right away."

"Of course, my liege. The master isn't aware of your return, but I'm sure he will be most pleased. He is in the sitting room. Please follow me."

Marinette and Adrien followed the woman, presumably a butler or assistant of some sort, through the castle. Marinette thought it was much more welcoming in the daytime. On the lower levels, there were less creepy portraits and no untouched dusty bedrooms. Everything was clean and neat in case guests arrived. Marinette feel like she stood out since she was covered in grime. This was not how she wanted to me the king in her civilian form.

The butler took them to the second floor which Marinette remembered from the blueprints. It was nicely decorated with a few landscape paintings and fine carpeting. If she recalled correctly, the sitting room should be at the end of the hall which was where they were headed.

Marinette was holding Adrien's hand and walking along until his sudden stop jolted her back, pulling on her arm. "Ouch!" she cried, letting go of him. She rubbed her shoulder and frowned. "What'd you stop for?" she mumbled.

She caught Adrien staring at a large portrait on the wall. It was a painting of a beautiful young woman with long, blonde hair and emerald eyes. She was smiling, but it looked so natural as if that was just her usual expression. Her dress dark blue and complimented her body so well Marinette felt a little jealous. The woman was gorgeous, but it was clear a kind heart lay underneath the exterior.

"Who's this?" Adrien asked, unable to tear his gaze away. He reached out and touched the painting, wishing it was real.

"That's your mother, sir." The butler rose an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. "She passed away when you were young. Don't you remember?"

"My mother..."

As Chat Noir, he assumed that he had a mother, but never bothered to think of where she might be or who she was. And now that he discovered he had one, she really was gone. Adrien's heart stung as he admired the portrait as if his body was remembering something his mind couldn't. He wondered what his mother's voice sounded like when she called his name. For the first time in a while, Adrien desperately wanted his memories back.

"It's complicated," Marinette announced, cutting through the silence. "He's had some memory issues lately."

"I see," the butler nodded. She was a little suspicious of a purported dead prince who had come back from the grave with amnesia, but seeing Prince Adrien's face was enough to reassure her. She had taken care of the boy for many years and could recognize that smile anywhere. By some miracle of magic, the true prince had been returned.

Marinette gently took Adrien's hand and pulled him along though she noticed how he kept glancing back at the portrait. " _It must be awful to forget your own mother,"_ Marinette thought sadly. " _And she isn't even here to welcome him back home. Poor Adrien..."_

"We've arrived."

They stopped in front of another set of doors. The butler slowly opened them and stuck her head inside. "Master?" she called out. "There are guests waiting for you."

"Send them in," a rough, but weary voice said back. "And then please bring me some tea."

"Please excuse the master," the butler apologized. "He had a rough night and didn't sleep well. As such, he might be irritable, but I promise he will be glad to see you. Perhaps that will turn his spirits around. Now if you'll excuse, I have some work I must attend to."

Adrien curtly nodded. "Thank you." He was about to enter the room when he felt a tug on his tunic. It was the butler whose composed face had turned into a more empathetic one. She had a faint smile which look good on her. Adrien wondered why she didn't smile more often.

"I don't know how it's possible, but welcome home, Adrien."

"Thank you," Adrien smiled back. Something about this woman was also familiar, but he couldn't recall anything specific. Despite her harsh exterior, she was kind. Adrien knew that, but wished he could say "thank you" with her name.

The woman vanished back downstairs to bring the king his tea, leaving Marinette and Adrien waiting outside the door. Noting the nervous look on Adrien's face, Marinette said, "I'll go in first." She carefully opened the door, a loud creak coming from the hinges. "King Gabriel? May we come in?"

She poked her head into the room and saw King Gabriel sitting in a large chair beside the fireplace. His back was to her, so he couldn't see her face, but he recognized her voice. "Only if you bring good news," he half-laughed, half-moaned. "And if you brought that alley cat, leave him outside. I don't want a stray leaving tracks on the carpet."

Adrien's heart sank. " _This was a mistake,"_ he thought, preparing to leave. " _This man hates me. There's no way I could be his son. Prince Adrien or not, I'm still Chat Noir. That's never going to go away. And he doesn't like that, then maybe I'm the one that should leave."_ He turned his body, but was dragged back my Marinette.

"No you don't," she whispered as she shoved Adrien into the room. Marinette cleared her throat and announced, "I actually do have good news. See for yourself."

"I don't have time for foolish games. Just tell me what you came-" King Gabriel turned his head and stopped speaking as he laid eyes on Adrien. Marinette noticed he looked more withered than yesterday, but at seeing Adrien, his face lit up. "A-Adrien..." he stammered, still reeling from shock. He tried to stand up from his chair without his cane and hobbled over before quickly falling onto the ground. His legs had gone numb.

"King Gabriel!" Marinette ran over to help him up while Adrien stayed stationary. He never took his eyes off the fallen king. Marinette slung the king's arm around her shoulder and slowly helped him up. "Nice and easy," she coaxed as the king returned to his feet. Marinette helped him walk towards Adrien until the two were standing face to face.

"It's really you. You're alive," King Gabriel breathed as he reached out to touch his son. He expected the whole thing to be an illusion, but his hand hit flesh. It wasn't like all his other dreams. His son was really standing before him. "I've missed you." He pulled Adrien into a tight embrace and began to weep. "W-where have you been? Why did you leave?"

Adrien had been weary of the king since their first meeting. He tried to hurt Marinette. He tried to hurt him. He tried to hurt Paris. Yet King Gabriel's hug was warm and loving. Something about it felt right. Adrien buried his head in his father's chest and began to cry himself. He didn't remember anything, but continued to cry.

"Father..."

"Look at them," Marinette smiled from afar. "They've finally been reunited."

"Well it was his fault they were separated in the first place." Plagg came flying out of Marinette's purse, chased by Tikki. He had a scowl on his face whenever he looked at King Gabriel.

"What do you mean?"

"Plagg, don't ruin the moment," Tikki pleaded. "You don't have to tell them now."

"I'm definitely going to tell them now because I'm upset and I'm hungry!"

The argument attracted the attention of King Gabriel and Adrien. They overheard the kwamis fighting. "Plagg?" Adrien said, approaching the black cat in confusion. "What are you talking about? Isn't it my fault? You told me I cast that spell. It was my mistake."

"You only did it to stop him!" Plagg yelled, pointing at the king. "The reason you cast that spell was so you could be powerful enough to defeat him without Ladybug's help."

"But I thought King Gabriel became Hawk Moth to find Adrien," Marinette interjected. "What you're saying doesn't make any sense."

"I know bad miraculous magic when I see it. This guy's been abusing his miraculous since before Chat Noir turned up. Getting Adrien back wasn't his only goal, was it?"

Everyone turned to King Gabriel who hung his head in shame. "It's true..." he said, his voice hollow. "I was greedy. I tried to achieve the unthinkable. I wanted to bring my wife back to life."

"See! I told you!"

"Please leave my master alone," a quiet voice cried out. Nooroo emerged from King Gabriel's pocket looking angrier than usual. "He's suffered enough! He lost his entire family and was willing to sacrifice everything to get them back. How can you be so mean?"

"I almost lost Adrien!" Plagg shouted, starting to get defensive. "I almost lost my own life! Ever think about that? Ever think about how much we suffered?"

"Enough!" Surprisingly, it was Tikki who shocked the room into silence. She was tired of all the bickering. It should be a happy occasion, not one of fighting and ill will. "Everyone has made their mistakes, but we've managed to fix them all. We should be celebrating. So the next one who fights is going to get a piece of my mind!" Nooroo and Plagg must have recognized the validity in this threat because of how fast they shut their mouths.

"You must be Ladybug's kwami," King Gabriel said, bowing his head. "A fine kwami for a fine young woman." Marinette blushed at the comment. She never thought she'd hear the king of Paris compliment her. King Gabriel offered his hand for her to shake. "Thank you for bringing my son home. I considered you my enemy because you stood in the way of my goals, but you have been my greatest ally. For that, I will make sure you are amply rewarded."

"Rewarded? There's no need for that. I was just doing my job. Actually, it was Adrien who did the most. He never truly disappeared. He was with me the entire time." King Gabriel raised an eyebrow, not understanding.

"Adrien, maybe you should show him," Marinette advised. "It would be easier than trying to explain. I'm sure your miraculous should work like mine now, right?" Both Tikki and Plagg nodded.

Adrien looked down at his ring and then up at Plagg. "What do I do?" he asked. He was used to easily shifting between human and cat forms, but he couldn't do that anymore.

"Just says claws out."

"Okay... claws out!"

There was a bright green flash and Adrien found himself in familiar leather clothing. His claws were back in addition to his ears and tail though they weren't real anymore. Even the collar Marinette had given him was still there. He felt more comfortable in this form. All his nerves melted away and were replaced by Chat Noir's usual confidence and poise. It was almost easier to remain Chat Noir than his actual human self.

"Bet you'll think twice before calling me an alley cat next time," Chat Noir chuckled.

"Y-you?" King Gabriel's body began to wobble from shock and Marinette quickly pulled up a chair and sat him down. The poor man seemed to age as the conversation went on. His hands were violently shaking as he tried to understand. "But why? Why didn't you tell me?" King Gabriel moaned. "Why didn't you come home?"

Marinette knelt down beside King Gabriel and grabbed his hand. "This might be hard for you," she said softly. "But Adrien has amnesia. He and Plagg cast a spell to become more powerful and besides perpetually becoming Chat Noir, he lost all his memories. We've managed to return him to normal, but he still doesn't remember anything. The only reason he knows you're his father is because I told him. He wouldn't have known his own name without me telling him."

"That can't be true!" King Gabriel shook his head and turned to Adrien. "Tell me it's not true, Adrien. You remember me, right? You remember your mother and your-"

"I don't." Chat Noir cut him off with a sad sigh as he released his transformation, turning back into Adrien. "As hard as I'm trying, I can't recall anything. The only memories I have now are the ones as Chat Noir with Marinette."

"But that doesn't mean they won't ever come back ever!" Marinette interjected hopefully. "It just might take some time. Adrien's only been back to normal for a few hours. There's a good chance he'll remember something eventually." King Gabriel dropped his head in lament.

"See what you've done now?" Plagg shouted, still fuming. "You're the one who took your son away and you might never fully get him back! How does it feel?"

Marinette scooped up Plagg and despite his fighting back, shoved him into her purse and shut it tight. "I think he's just hungry," she fake smiled. "I'll take him to get lunch at home. Tikki, you should come with too. It's been a long day and Adrien needs some time with his father. Nooroo, please keep an eye on both of them. We'll come back tomorrow." Tikki nodded and flew over to join the girl.

Adrien grabbed her by the shoulder before she could leave. "Wait!" he cried. "What about me?"

"You have to stay here now. This is your real home and your real family." Marinette's words stung. Truthfully, she didn't want Adrien to live in the palace. She wanted to go home and spend the day with him just as she always did with Chat Noir. She wanted to hear his annoying cat puns and listen to him snore in the middle of the night. She wanted everything to stay like before, but it was impossible. Adrien had a place he belonged now and it wasn't at the bakery.

" _But I don't want to stay here,"_ Adrien thought, frowning. " _I want to go back with you. This isn't my home. I want to eat lunch in Marinette's bedroom and sleep on my pillow like I always did. I don't want Marinette and I to be separated. Things don't need to be different. Can't I live life the way I always have?"_

"Don't give me that look," Marinette sighed as she ruffled Adrien's hair. "I'm sad too, but so is your father. I've spent every possible hour with you for months, but your father hasn't seen you in over a year. Try to stay here for tonight. For him. And who knows? Maybe talking with him jog your memory."

"But I don't want my memories back," Adrien frowned, pulling Marinette in close for a hug. "I like my memories with you."

As Marinette rubbed his back, she said, "You're not replacing the ones you already have, silly. Think of it like making new ones. Okay?"

"Okay... but promise you'll come back tomorrow?"

"Promise!"

Marinette pulled away and waved as she left the room. " _I hope they get along!"_ she prayed, stealing one last glance at Adrien and his father. " _It would be great if Adrien remembered everything. I don't know if King Gabriel's heart can take anymore bad news. It'll also be hard for Adrien to resume his princely duties if he doesn't remember how to do them."_

" _Oh... I never thought about that. Now that he's come home, he'll certainly be busy all the time. We won't be able to spend as much time together. I never considered how hard it would be to live apart. I already feel like crying and I haven't even made it home. Cut it out, Marinette! You can't be selfish! Other people care about Adrien to. It'd be wrong to have him all to your yourself. Chin up! You'll see him tomorrow at least."_

Back inside the palace, Adrien stood uncomfortably in front of his father. Without Marinette around, he was unsure on how to act or what to say. He looked down at his feet and rocked back and forth, waiting for Gabriel to say something. Thankfully, he finally did.

"Please pull up a chair and sit down," King Gabriel instructed. "I will have Nathalie bring you some tea once she returns." Adrien did as he was told. Something told him that crossing his father was a bad idea, so he remained obedient. He sat down by his father and wondered if their relationship had always been this awkward. Adrien had a feeling it had.

King Gabriel turned to his kwami. "Nooroo, if you wouldn't mind giving us some time alone. I'd like to talk to my son in private."

"Yes, master." Nooroo flew off into another room like the obedient kwami he was.

"So please tell me where you've been." King Gabriel interlocked his hands and leaned forward in his seat. "I must admit this memory loss debacle is a shock, but perhaps we can work past it. Let's focus on what you know and work through the rest. Your royal duties can wait a day or two. I've also lost an entire year of life with you. I'd like to be filled in."

"Umm... okay." Adrien scratched the back of his head, trying to think. "Well, I was living with Marinette. She took care of me while we were fighting akuma and well...err... you."

"It seems you care much for her."

"She's my best friend and..." Adrien's words trailed off as he could feel his cheeks heat up. How could he straight up tell his father he was in love with her? And that she loved him back? Not to mention, it was a crush months in the making with lots of ups and downs. Adrien didn't feel comfortable sharing all that with his supposed father. Not yet anyways. Anxiously, he rubbed the broach in his pocket, pretending it was a good luck charm.

"It seems I've missed a major part of my son's growing up though it's all my fault."

"Don't say that! It was my fault too! I'm the one who cast that spell. I should take most of the blame. I didn't consider the consequences and think about how much I would worry the people around me. It seems like I've put you through hell and back."

"That would be an understatement. What might this spell be? To my knowledge, you were never one to dabble in magic."

"It...uh..." Adrien panicked when the room's doors open revealing the woman from before, Nathalie, holding a tray with cups of tea and a kettle. " _Oh thank goodness,"_ Adrien breathed in relief as she set the tea in front of them. He didn't want to get into details of how he'd basically been living as a cat for the past year.

"Thank you, Nathalie," King Gabriel nodded as he poured himself some tea. "How thoughtful of you to bring a cup for Adrien as well. You're dismissed." Nathalie sharply turned around and exited the room without saying a word.

"Now, where were we?" Gabriel continued as he poured Adrien a cup.

"Actually, I'm feeling kinda tired." Adrien pretended to yawn and stretched out his arms. "Today's been overwhelming and some sleep might be nice. Is there any place for me to stay?"

"Your bedroom is currently in shambles, but I will have the maids clean it by tomorrow. For now, you can stay in one of the guest bedrooms just around the corner. Would you like me to escort you there?'

"N-no.. no no. I'm fine." Adrien was desperate to get out of there. Talking with his father was more awkward than he anticipated and he was starting to feel anxious from being apart from Marinette. He was still struggling to process everything as well. He had gone from Chat Noir to human boy to Prince of Paris and now was expected to chat with his "father" over tea. He didn't even like tea!

Adrien quickly stood up and left the room, mumbling a quiet goodbye. Once outside, he headed to the door the furthest away from the sitting room. Much to his luck, he opened it and found a clean bedroom. The bed was freshly made with crisp sheets and fluffy pillows. There was a bookshelf filled to the brim with books. In the corner was a bathroom with a tub fit for a king. The room was marvelous, but not what Adrien wanted.

Instead of a comfortable bed, he wanted his pillow. Instead of a woman who brought him tea, he wanted fresh pastries from the bakery. Instead of all of this, he wanted Marinette. Adrien had wished for months that he might be able to stand on equal footing with "Prince Adrien" to win Marinette's heart and now that he was there, he wanted to be Chat Noir again.

Flopping onto the bed, Adrien let out a deep sigh. "This sucks..."


	23. Chapter 23

Until the sun set, Adrien lied in his bed, staring at the ceiling. A few hours prior, Nathalie had knocked on the door and asked if he needed anything to which he politely declined. Other than, Adrien hadn't moved an inch. He was feeling homesick despite being in his own home, a home which he couldn't even remember.

He curled up on his side and hugged his pillow. " _I want to go home,"_ he sighed, hugging the pillow even tighter. When he ran away from Marinette, he had felt lonely, but not this lonely. This kind of lonely made him want to scream in frustration and cry at the same time. Adrien's stomach let out a loud growl. Great, he was hungry now too.

Adrien forced himself out of bed and wandered over to the window. He pressed his forehead against the glass, staring out at the rising moon. He spent many moonlit nights running around with Marinette. An image of Marinette in her bedroom flashed through his mind. She was working on a design at her desk, humming to herself. Tikki was sitting beside her, just watching. The two were having a great time and he was missing out.

" _I really want to go home."_

All of a sudden, something black knocked into the window, startling Adrien. "What the heck?" Adrien cried as he opened the window. Had some crazy bird freaked out at his reflection? What was that?

To his surprise, Plagg was sitting on the windowsill, rubbing his head. "It would've been nice if you opened the window a little bit sooner."

"Sorry!" Adrien apologized, scooping up the kwami in his hands. "What are you doing here? Didn't you go back with Marinette?"

"Only for lunch and also some dinner. For a bakery, they have some fine cheese. But that's not why I'm here!"

"Then why are you here?"

"You're the wielder of the Chat Noir miraculous! We can't be separated for too long. We're like two peas in a pod. Besides, I couldn't let you spend the night in a place like this. You used to call it a prison. Still is by the looks of it."

"A prison?" Adrien frowned. "Did I really hate living here that much?"

Plagg shrugged his shoulders. "Your dad's the overprotective type," he explained. "He wasn't too keen on letting you run around the kingdom. He usually made you stay here which in turn meant you had no friends. When we first met, I thought you were going to jump out the window from loneliness. It took a lot to turn that somber attitude of yours around."

"And I'm going to have to live like that from now on?"

"Who knows? Maybe your dad will loosen the reins now that he's seen what's happened to you. But what I can tell you is that your dad probably intends to tell the kingdom of your return tomorrow and that means you'll be swamped with all kinds of boring royal duties! So I'm here to whisk you away for the night. Consider it a favor though you owe me lots of camembert."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we're going to see Marinette, you idiot! Spending a year as a cat didn't sharpen the mind much, did it? Now hurry up and transform before I get too hungry."

Adrien gave Plagg a hug, nearly crushing the kwami against his chest. "Thank you, Plagg! You're the best!"

"I know!" Plagg tried to say as he struggled to breath. "But could you please let me go? I'm going to suffocate!"

"Plagg, claws out!"

The transformation felt more natural this time. With a green flash, Adrien turned into Chat Noir and happily flexed his claws. "This is more like it," he grinned, his cheshire like smile returning. He couldn't be confided to a stuffy, old castle when he was like this. With a joyful howl, he hopped out the window and swung over the palace rooftop.

He launched off the roof into a nearby tree and then down to the cobbled streets below. A few people gave him confused looks, but moved on with their lives. The local Parisians had become more adjusted to seeing him and Ladybug and stopped questioning them. Little did they know their acclaimed heroes wouldn't be making appearances as frequently now that there were no more akumas to fight.

Chat Noir jumped onto another roof and found himself more winded than usual. His legs were dragging and it was taking more arm strength to vault himself using his baton. " _I guess that spell really did help my strength,"_ he thought, sucking in deep breaths. " _I might collapse before I make it into Marinette's house. I need to get in better shape without relying on magic."_

" _Ah! Here it is!"_

He swung onto a familiar balcon and hung down by the window. Pressing his face on the glass, he knocked on the window and a half-asleep Marinette, who had been sulking on her bed, shot up in surprise.

"Chat!"

Marinette shot out of bed and came racing towards the window, her heart beating fast in anticipation. She unlocked it and pulled Chat Noir inside with all her might. She used so much force that she accidentally fell backwards and Chat Noir landed right on top of her.

"Hello, my lady," he smirked, his head hovering just above hers. "How are you this fine evening?"

"I'd be a lot better if you got off of me," Marinette giggled. Chat Noir quickly rose to his feet and helped Marinette up, both of them laughing hysterically.

As Marinette wiped away a tear, she asked, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the palace?"

"I was feeling a little homesick and thought I'd swing by."

"So that's where Plagg ran off to. I was wondering where that devious little fellow had disappeared to," Marinette shook her head, sighing. "He's a handful. I don't know how you ever put up with him."

"I wish I could remember us even being friends." Chat Noir smiled sadly at the thought of recovering his lost memories. So many people expected him to remember, but he just couldn't. The only person that knew the real, current him was Marinette. She was the only one who understood him.

"On the other hand," Marinette exclaimed, noticing Chat Noir's drop in mood. "Why don't you sit down on the bed? I was just about to grab a midnight snack for Tikki and me. Do macaroons sound good?" Chat Noir nodded and Marinette headed downstairs to grab dessert.

Chat Noir sat down on her bed, letting the familiar smell of Marinette envelop him. Beside the bed was the pillow he normally slept on. Carefully, he picked it up and sighed. He wouldn't be able to sleep on it anymore. It was hardly big enough for even his head. It was one of the many things he would have to leave behind now that he was Prince Adrien again.

"Are you feeling okay?" Chat Noir jumped backwards as Tikki came flying out of nowhere. "Oops! I didn't mean to scare you!" she apologized as she sat on Chat Noir's knee. "I was cutting some patterns for Marinette down on the floor when you came in. I can tell by your expression that you've had a rough day. I'm sure Marinette's noticed it too, but doesn't want to say anything. But you can always talk to both of us!"

"Thanks," Chat sighed, petting Tikki on the head. "I'm just having a hard time adjusting to my new life. It's still so surreal. I feel like my father expects me to settle back into royal life even though I don't remember ever being a prince. I don't know if he understands that I can't remember a thing. And that castle... I can't call it home. Home is right here with you and Marinette."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. It'll take some time. There's no getting around that, but give it your best effort. Your father really missed you, so don't be too hard on him. Things will get more familiar with each day. And don't worry, Marinette and I will be with you every step of the way. Though that might be more difficult now that you're a prince."

"That's what I was afraid of hearing." Chat Noir leaned backwards, slumping against the wall. His ears drooped as he thought of Marinette. "She finally returned my feelings and now we can't even be together. She's my everything. I can't bear not seeing her."

Tikki had a sly smile and she flew in close to Chat Noir's ears. "There might be a way to fix that," she whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"I know true love when I see it. You two are soulmates and while you are a little young, I think it'd be okay."

"Tikki, you're not making sense."

"All I'm saying is that there are other rings out there besides your miraculous." Tikki winked before flying back to her patterns on the floor. "That's the only hint I'm giving you," she giggled. "The rest is up to you."

"Wait! What do you mean by ring-"

"I'm back!" Marinette popped out of the trapdoor, holding a tray of macaroons. "Who's hungry?"

Chat Noir and Tikki immediately jumped up and grabbed handfuls of macaroons. Marinette had expected Tikki to be hungry since she hadn't eaten since lunch time, but Chat Noir surprised her. Was he not getting enough to eat in that giant castle? Surely it had to have five star chefs for every meal.

"Are they trying to starve you to death?" Marinette asked as she watched Chat Noir devour three macaroons in one bite. "It looks like you haven't eaten in days."

"They tried to feed me, but I wasn't interested," Chat Noir replied sheepishly. "I didn't have the energy to go down and eat."

"That's not good for you. You need to eat something. I'm sure the palace chefs would feed you whatever you wanted if you asked."

"But it wouldn't be as good as anything from the bakery!"

"Touche, kitty." She down on her bed and patted the spot next to her. "Come sit down. You look tired. Care for a cat nap?"

Chat Noir sat next to her, but Marinette guided his head down onto her lap. "Better?" she asked as she stroked his hair. "Try to get some sleep. You look exhausted. Today's been a hard day for you and tomorrow will probably be like that too. You need to regain your strength. Don't worry. I'll wake you up in the morning so you can make it back to the castle before anyone finds out you're missing."

"You're the best, Marinette," Chat Noir yawned. Marinette's petting was soothing, already sending him into a deep sleep. His eyelids fluttered shut, but before he fell asleep he mumbled, "I love you."

"I love you too, chaton."

* * *

The light of the morning sun stung at Marinette's eyes, rudely waking her up. She tried to block the sun with her eyes as she groggily sat up. " _What time is it?"_ she thought when she noticed a huge lump asleep on her lap. It was Chat Noir.

"Chat! It's time to wake up!" Marinette poked his cheek to which his nose twitched. He pawed at her hand, swatting it away. It reminded her of how he used to react to her waking him up as a cat. He was never an early riser, then or now. "Seriously, Chat! You have to wake up."

She helped support his body and shake him awake. His eyes slowly opened though he was still lying on her shoulder. "Good morning, princess," he grinned when he saw Marinette's face. "You look beautiful this morning."

"And you look like you're going to be late. The sun's already up. Your father might be looking for you!"

"Can't I stay a little longer?" Chat Noir buried himself deeper into Marinette's shoulder and grabbed her torso, never wanting to let go.

"No, you need to leave. We can't have your father find you missing. I don't know if his health can take much more. If it makes you feel any better, you can take this back with you." Marinette leaned down and picked up Chat's pillow, handing it to him. "It's a little small, but it might help you sleep better."

"Thank you," Chat Noir smiled, hugging the pillow. "I guess I'll see you later then?"

"I'll try and stop by, but I still have to explain to Alya why I ditched her yesterday so I might be a little late."

"Take all the time you need."

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before disappearing out through the balcony. Marinette touched her hand to the spot he kissed and blushed. " _That sly cat,"_ she thought, her heartbeat racing. " _I wish I could come with you..."_

Chat Noir bounded back home, a new spring in his step. Seeing Marinette had revitalized him and he felt like king of the world. However, Tikki's words from last night were still lingering in his mind. " _What was she talking about?"_ he wondered. " _What did she mean by rings?"_

It would've taken him all day to figure it out if he handed passed by a young couple on his way back to the castle. They were walking hand in hand, down a market road, laughing to each other. Chat Noir didn't think much of them at first until he saw the sunlight glint off something on the woman's hand. It was a ring that matched the one her husband was wearing. And then it struck him.

" _So that's what Tikki meant..."_

His mind went into panic mode. " _Are we too young? What would Marinette think? Would she be okay with it? I mean we love each other, but it's a big step. What about me? In all the fairytales, princes marry princesses right? Marinette is a princess to me, but she's not an actual princess. Is it still okay to marry her? What would my father say?"_

All the questions were frying his brain, but the more he considered it, the more Chat Noir was onboard with the idea. If Marinette married him, they could live together in the palace. They would never have to be separate. Or better yet, they could live in the bakery! He wouldn't mind living or even working there. He could learn to bake.

" _Where am I going to get a ring? It has to be the best ring there is. Marinette deserves only the best. And how I am I going to give it to her? Should it be a big surprise or should I keep it casual? I didn't know so much thought went into these things. Just yesterday I was a cat hoping for her love and now I want to get married. Is that moving too fast?"_

Chat Noir snuck back into the palace and into the guest bedroom, his mind still reeling. It was just in time too. As he released his transformation, Nathalie opened the door, barely leaving enough time for Plagg to hide inside Adrien's pocket. Adrien tossed Marinette's pillow onto the bed and started to whistle, pretending to act nonchalant.

"Prince Adrien?" she asked, confused as to why he was loitering by the window.

"Yeah?" Adrien fake-smiled. "What is it?"

"There's a guest waiting for you downstairs. She's dying to meet you."

"I'll be down in a moment."

Nathalie nodded and shut the door. Once she was gone, Plagg came flying out and he was hungry.

"I didn't think we were going to stay there all night!" Plagg moaned. "I'm starving."

"I promise I'll get you something from the kitchen. What do you like?"

"Camembert."

"Well that explains where my obsession with that stuff came from," Adrien sighed as he rolled his eyes. Marinette was right. His kwami really was a handful. "But before that, we should see who's waiting downstairs. Maybe Marinette came to visit us already!"

Feeling excited, Adrien rushed out of the bedroom and down to the ground level. He only took a few wrong turns before ending up in the dining hall where he found his father, Nathalie, and a group of guests waiting. To his disappointment, it wasn't Marinette, but another familiar face. Another, dreaded familiar face.

"Adrikins!"

Adrien recognized that shrill voice anywhere. It was Chloe Bourgeois otherwise known as Marinette's arch nemesis. The blonde haired girl had a kind side when it came to Ladybug, but other than that she was a menace. And somehow she knew him.

Chloe nearly tackled him to the ground with her hug. A bit annoyed, he was prepared to pull her off and tell her to back off when he heard a faint sobbing. His shoulder grew wet with Chloe's tears. " _Is she crying?"_ he wondered. " _Out of all people, I never thought I'd catch her in tears. I bet Marinette would pay anything to see this."_

"I'm so happy you're okay," Chloe sobbed, hugging him tight. "They said you were dead, but I didn't believe them. I knew it was impossible. I'm so glad to see you again!"

A wave of guilt washed over Adrien. She was crying over him and he had been making fun of her. Like this, she seemed so small and innocent. It was hard to believe she also had a mean streak.

"I'm glad to see you too, Chloe." Adrien rubbed her back and tried to show some sympathy. He was confused on how she and him knew each other, but decided to go with the flow. His disappearance had obviously upset her. "I...uh... missed you too."

"What a lovely reunion," a large man, presumably Chloe's father, said. "I'm glad you invited us here to see Adrien, your majesty. My little girl was already in tears at the news. The two should have some time to themselves before the big announcement later. Why don't we leave them alone?"

"I agree," King Gabriel nodded. He prepared to leave when he was halted by Adrien's protest.

"Wait!" Adrien objected, gently taking Chloe's hands off him. "What about Marinette? I wanted to see her today."

"Marinette?" Chloe snarled, her tears quickly fading into disgust. "You wouldn't be talking about Marinette Dupain-Cheng, would you?"

"I am."

"Adrien, why would you bother with a street rat like her? Has something messed with your head? She's a lowly peasant. There's no point in giving her the time of day especially when you could spend that day with me." She grabbed onto his arm and rubbed her body against his with a disgusting smile. "Come now. We have lots of lost time to make up for."

"No!" Adrien protested, shaking her off. "I'm going to see Marinette!"

"Adrien!" King Gabriel shouted, scolding his son. "It would do you good not to treat your friends this way. Losing your memories does not mean you should've lost your manners. I expected better of you."

"She's not my friend! The only thing I know about her is that she is rude to Marinette! How is that kind of person a friend to anyone?"

"I can see your anger stems from your obsession with this girl." King Gabriel rubbed his temples as he tried to reason with Adrien. "I understand this girl saved your life, but you need to move on. You have a life waiting here for you with duties you must fulfill. If she is a hindrance to that, then I must insist you forget about her."

"I can't forget about her!" Adrien shouted, his hands shaking violently. "I'm in love with her!"

The entire room went silent.

"Why would you be in love with her?" Chloe snickered, not even trying to be discrete about it. "One look at her and it's clear she's no good for you. Stop with the jokes, Adrikins. We're happy you're back and all, but they just aren't funny. How did someone like you even come to know a nobody like her?"

"I'm not joking around! I love her! I love her so much that I want to marry her!"

Once again, the room went silent and this time, even Chloe didn't have anything to say. Adrien took this as a cue to continue.

"That's right. I'm in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Without her, I wouldn't be standing here. There'd still be no Prince Adrien. I love that girl so much it hurts. I want to spend everyday of my life with her and if that means giving up being a prince, I'll gladly do it!"

"Stop acting like a child!" King Gabriel shouted. His voice turned loud and stern, reminding Adrien all too much of the man's days as Hawk Moth "We're in front of guests and you're being a spoiled brat. Knock this nonsense off at once!"

"So that nice father thing really was an act," Adrien scowled, turning away from his father. "You're just like Plagg said. No wonder I wanted to escape this place so badly."

The argument was beginning to become tense so Nathalie escorted Mr. Bourgeois and Chloe out of the room. She wanted to give Adrien and the king the time and space they needed to work things out. Secretly, she was pleased that Adrien had returned and hoped this was the opportunity to mend the broken father-son relationship once and for all. She couldn't stand to see them grow apart again.

"Take that back!" King Gabriel frowned. A frown was starting to become his usual expression. "You never used to act like this before. You were so quiet and well-behaved. What happened to you?"

"Maybe it's because I started to live my own life for a change! I got a taste of freedom and I met someone who showed me how great life could really be. I got to erase my past and start off fresh. This is who I am now! I don't know who the old Adrien was, but I'm not him!"

King Gabriel began to simmer down as he sadly chuckled to himself. "But you are," he sighed. "You have your mother's fire just like you did when you were little. It slowly disappeared with time, but I suppose that was my fault. We never used to fight. You always did as you were told, but you never looked happy. I ignored it, pretending I had the best intentions for you. My mistakes already cost me you once. How foolish am I to make the same mistakes again."

"Father?"

"Perhaps it's time to let you run your own life. My opinions are only a burden. I'm finally starting to understand that you've grown-up in our time apart. You aren't different, just grown-up. It's time to let you make your own choices. I can't stand to lose you again because of my self-centered expectations."

"You mean..."

"While I expect you to welcome yourself back to the kingdom and perform your royal duties, I think you might be better suited to them if you had a partner at your side. And I owe that girl a lot. She's quite nice as well and reminds me a lot of your mother. Without her, you never would have returned to me."

"Does this mean you approve?" Adrien asked, his eyes lighting up.

King Gabriel nodded, a slight smile on his lips. "It's useless to force you into my mold and the next time I try, don't let me. I've decided that it might be useless to recover your old memories and ways. Perhaps it's time to start making new ones."

Adrien ran forward and hugged his father. "Thank you," he smiled, shedding a few tears. "Thank you, father!"

"Calm down," King Gabriel laughed, letting go of his son. "Don't get too ahead of yourself. You're both only sixteen. She might not accept, but I can give you a good luck charm."

"What's that?"

"Your mother's wedding ring."

King Gabriel rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a silver ring with a diamond in the middle. He held it up the light and a rainbow glowed through the rocky prism. He opened Adrien's hand and set the ring in, then closed his son's fingers around it.

"I always keep it with me as a reminder of your mother," King Gabriel explained. "I had to propose three times before she accepted. She wouldn't accept until she was ready, but I didn't want it any other way. Now I pass it on to you. I'm sure she'd want you to have it. Somewhere up in heaven, she's looking down on you and probably wishes she could meet the girl you've fallen in love with. I'm positive she would give her approval."

Adrien admired the ring. He didn't know how, but he could tell it was the perfect size for Marinette. "She'll love it," Adrien grinned, putting the ring in his pocket. "I'll ask her right away."

"Why don't you wait until later?" advised the king. "There's going to be a meeting in the courtyard to announce your return. Afterwards, there's to be a grand celebration. How about we turn it into a double celebration? I'm sure your princess will be in attendance anyways."

"That's a wonderful idea, father! I need to go get ready then! I want to look my best!"

He turned to leave when he felt something poke his leg from inside his pocket. Startled, he reached inside and pulled out the butterfly miraculous. " _I don't think I need this anymore. Suddenly, I'm not so nervous anymore. I should return it to its rightful owner,"_ Adrien smiled.

"Father!" he called, grabbing King Gabriel's sleeve. "This belongs to you." He dropped the brooch into his father's hand. The old man looked surprised and stared at his son. They shared a moment of understanding, finally seeing each other for the person they were. Perhaps things were finally right again.

With this final deed done, Adrien rushed away, nearly exploding with excitement. " _I'm going to do it! I'm going to ask Marinette to marry me!"_ He was busy making plans in his head when he passed by a large display case filled with strange trinkets.

"What's this?" Adrien called back to his father. His eyes narrowed on something in the corner on the case lying down on its side. Something about it was a ringing a bell in the back of his mind.

"It's a display of some of the items left for you at your funeral. Nathalie thought it would be best to keep them in your memory, so she displayed them in the dining hall. I suppose they're quite useless now," King Gabriel responded.

"May I take something from it?"

"Go ahead. They belong to you anyways."

Adrien slowly opened the display and reached for the top shelf. His hand grabbed a smooth wooden handle and he quickly pulled it close to him. He admired the object, running his hand across the surface. Yes, something about this was familiar.

"I'm going to take this back up to the guest room."

He closed the display and walked up to his room, a black umbrella swinging in his hands.


	24. Chapter 24

When Marinette went downstairs to grab breakfast that morning, she was surprised by how empty the bakery was. Usually the morning rush lasted for a few hours, but it seemed like there had hardly been any customers. Most of the trays were still filled with pastries and there was no one tending to the cash register. The whole place was completely empty.

"Maman? Papa?" Marinette called, looking around for her parents. She was startled when they came rushing around the corner from the house section of the bakery. Both were dressed surprisingly nice. Sabine was wearing a short, white dress with a pink flower in her hair. Tom had on a clean shirt and pants, not his usual baking attire. Not only was their dress strange, but they seemed to be in a hurry.

"What's going on?" Marinette asked as she hugged both of her parents. "Is there a party I wasn't told about?"

"The King is making a big announcement today outside the royal palace," Sabine explained, her expression rather giddy. "The entire kingdom is going to be in attendance, but your father and I were given special invitations to be on stage with the king!"

"What? Why?"

"Maybe our world class baking skills have finally been recognized," Tom chuckled as he pulled his wife close. "It's not important though. We would never turn down an invitation from King Gabriel. But we'll be late if we don't hurry. We were told to arrive early this morning even though the event doesn't start until later."

"You're right," Sabine nodded. They headed towards the door before she stopped and grabbed an umbrella from behind the counter. "Don't want to forget one of these. It looks like it might rain today. It's always good to be prepared!"

"Wait!" Marinette called out. "Are you going without me?"

"Sweetie, this event is... umm... for grown-ups! Why don't you stay behind and relax for a while? See if Alya is free. You can come by and visit us later, alright?" Without any other explanation, Sabine and Tom waved goodbye to their daughter and then were out the door.

" _That was strange,"_ Marinette frowned, her hands on her hips. " _Maman and Papa aren't usually so secretive. This 'event' must be to announce Adrien's return, but why would they be invited? I have a funny feeling about this, but maybe I'm just being paranoid. But they were right about Alya. I need to go apologize about not meeting up yesterday. I'll bring a snack with which will hopefully appease her."_

Using a pair of metal tongs, Marinette grabbed a few croissants and stuck them into a paper bag. "These are for Alya," she told Tikki who had come out of hiding. "What do you want for breakfast, Tikki?"

"Three sugar cookies for me please!"

"Three? You certainly are hungry this morning." Marinette pulled out three cookies and handed one to Tikki, setting the others in her bag. Tikki could finish the rest on the walk to Alya's. "And one strawberry tart for me," Marinette continued, picking out her breakfast. "And what should we grab for Chat? He usually likes-"

And then she remembered Chat Noir wasn't there anymore. He was probably at the palace eating the finest breakfast money could buy. Marinette didn't need to worry about feeding him. She didn't need to remember all his favorite foods, his likes and dislikes. Adrien was living the life of a prince and a prince didn't need a common girl's help. He had servants to do that.

"Don't look so sad!" Tikki cried, nudging against Marinette's cheek. "We're going to see him later, right? The event your parents are going to must be in his honor. We'll be able to see him there and celebrate his return with the rest of Paris!"

"But I don't want to celebrate with everyone else," Marinette sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Call me selfish, but I'd rather it was just me and him. He's only been gone an hour or two and I already feel so... lonely. I'm used to having my kitty around. What are we going to do without him?"

"We'll be fine! And I know Adrien is feeling the same way. Both of you two need some time to readjust. I'm sure everything will work out for the better! So turn that frown upside down!"

"Okay... you're right. I've got to be positive! And if anyone can make me feel better, it'll be Alya! Let's not keep her waiting any longer. Off we go!"

Marinette opened her purse and Tikki hid inside. She locked the door and left the bakery. The girl tried to maintain a smile, but was finding it more and more difficult. Her thoughts were filled with Adrien as she secretly prayed that time would move a little faster so they could see each sooner. All this waiting was going to drive her mad.

They arrived at Alya's house after only a few minutes. Marinette took a deep breath as she prepared for what awaited her. Immediately after knocking on Alya's door, Marinette heard an angry stomping. " _Here it comes..."_ she thought, biting her lip. Good thing she had the croissants ready.

The door swung open to reveal an irritated Alya. Her arms were crossed as she shouted, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng! When I said see you later, I didn't mean see you days later! What have you been up to and why haven't you come running to my doorstep to tell me about this boy of yours?"

"First of all, I'm sorry!" Marinette handed Alya the brown paper bag. "These are for you. I know I said I'd hang out with you and Nino, but things came up. Second of all, he's not my boy! He's just a friend."

"Meanwhile your face is redder than a tomato," Alya laughed, pinching Marinette's cheek. "Girl, you don't have to lie to me. There's nothing to be ashamed about. He was a cutie despite his interesting outfit choices."

"Alya!"

"Tell me that you don't love him."

"I..." Marinette bit her lip with a frown, knowing that Alya had defeated her. "Okay, I love him. Happy?"

"Ecstatic!" Alya leaned over and hugged Marinette, practically squealing with excitement. "This is great development. I'm so happy that you've moved on. It hurt me bad to see you so sad, girl. I'm glad you've found somebody else."

" _Little does she know it's the same person,"_ Marinette sighed. " _And over a year later, he's still causing me emotional distress. Only this time around it's gotten a lot worse."_

"But I do want to have a chat with him," Alya continued. "He looked nice, but I gotta make sure he's good enough for my best friend. You deserve only the best! If he ever does anything to hurt you feelings, you come straight to me and I'll show him the power of Alya Cesaire!"

"T-thanks, Alya, but that won't be necessary. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to properly introduce you two and have a conversation."

"Why not?"

" _Because the love of my life is a prince with amnesia. The same prince that's considered dead and who, from Alya's perspective, I as Marinette should have no more romantic connections with. Yep! That's just what I'll tell her... not!"_ Marinette loudly groaned, facepalming. " _It's annoying to keep my entire love life undercover. I keep feeding Alya more and more lies, but I'll have to explain it all eventually. But maybe I should take my time..."_

Alya gently grabbed Marinette's shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you okay? You look a little stressed. Don't tell me your kitty escaped again?"

"N-no... it's nothing like that. I'm just tired, that's all. I didn't get much sleep last night. That kitty came home in the middle of the night and woke me up."

"I know just the thing to shock some energy into your systems then!" Alya exclaimed as she pulled her bag with with her journalist notes out of nowhere. She pulled out a notepad and pointed to what was scribbled on the page. "King Gabriel is holding a conference outside the palace today! It's definitely going to be about Ladybug and Chat Noir so we're going to sneak our way to the front! This is big news!"

Marinette's eyes went wide. "About that..." she mumbled, twiddling her thumbs. "I'm not sure if it's about them. What if the king has other important news to discuss?"

"Are you kidding me? What's more important than the heroes that have been protecting Paris? Trust me, Marinette. I know my stuff. So are you in?"

"Well..." Marinette's words trailed off. She had promised to meet up with Adrien, but that could wait until after the meeting. After all, she probably wouldn't even get close to him once everyone realized he was... alive. The entire kingdom would be in celebration and Adrien would have a busy schedule. She might only be able to see him if she snuck into the castle as Ladybug. So maybe going with Alya couldn't hurt. Marinette owed her best friend anyways.

"Alright," Marinette nodded, giving Alya a smile. "My parents are there too so it seems like a really big deal. It would be silly if I didn't go."

"Your parents?"

"Yeah. They got invited by the king personally. Pretty strange, right? They didn't know why and I'm curious about it myself."

"Maybe King Gabriel's interested in some high class treats?" Alya joked. "If he needs catering done, there's only one bakery in Paris to ask."

Marinette giggled. "That's what I thought too. Maybe this is my family's chance to strike it rich!"

"Well, let's go see ourselves! If we don't hurry, we won't get a good seat!" Alya bolted out the door, laughing maniacally, and grabbed Marinette's arm, dragging the poor girl along. Marinette was so taken off guard, she nearly tripped over her own feet. Once Alya got going there was nobody who could stop her, not even her best friend. Marinette decided just to let this one go.

"Isn't this so exciting?" Alya rambled as she pulled Marinette through the streets. Despite fighting past throngs of people, Alya still hadn't settled down. "What if Ladybug and Chat Noir make an appearance? Do you think they'll sit down for an interview? The paper is just dying for an inside scoop as am I! Maybe I can even get their autographs!"

Marinette sighed, trying to calm Alya down. "I think you've got the wrong idea about this press conference," she tried to explain. "I don't think Ladybug and Chat Noir will visiting though I think you'll still certainly find a newsworthy story."

"And what makes you think that?"

"No reason..."

"Sabrina! Just what are you doing!"

Alya and Marinette froze, their bodies unconsciously shuddering at the sound of that familiar voice. " _There's no way,"_ Marinette moaned, about ready to pull her pigtails out. She was having a bad enough day already considering her Adrien withdrawal. The last thing she needed was a little blonde nightmare in the mix.

"I-I'm sorry!" a weak voice stammered. It was Sabrina, Chloe's maid though the word indentured servant or slave might have been better suited to her position. Marinette watched Sabrina scramble to pick up boxes probably filled with dresses and shoes that had fallen to the ground. Chloe simply watched her arms crossed, an annoyed huff on her face.

"You'd better be," Chloe snarled. "If any of those get ruined, you're going to pay for them!"

"Looks like the wicked witch flew in on her broomstick," Alya muttered, rolling her eyes. "What I wouldn't give to sock her right in the mouth... Wait... Marinette?"

Marinette's natural sense of justice stepped in as she stomped in between Chloe and Sabrina, holding her hands up to protect Sabrina. "Knock it off!" Marinette cried, her eyes filled with anger. "Can't you see she's trying her best?"

"If it isn't Marinette..." Chloe sneered as she jabbed her finger at Marinette's chest. "What do you think you're doing? Oh wait... I see. The dirt poor have to stick together."

"Well at least us dirt poor have some manners. Too bad I can't say the same for you."

"Ugh. I don't have time for the likes of you." Chloe whipped her ponytail to the side and gave Marinette a smug smile. "Adrien is waiting back at the palace for me."

"You met Adrien?" Marinette's aura turned dark. " _I swear if she bothered him, I'll treat her like I do with an akuma. With no mercy."_ Marinette's cracked her fists. " _The last thing the poor boy needs is a heavy helping of Chloe."_

"That's right. Your little mind might not be able to comprehend this, but he's not really dead. Now that he's back, he's all over me. When I had to go home yesterday, King Gabriel practically had to drag the two of us apart. It was heartbreaking..."

"Somehow I doubt that..."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Alya cried, jumping into the conversation. "Did your broomstick hit you on the head? Prince Adrien's been dead for over a year."

Chloe crossed her arms. "News flash, weirdo: He's perfectly alive and well. I talked to him yesterday." To prove her point, Chloe nudged Sabrina, who had finished picking up the fallen boxes.

"T-That's right!" Sabrina stammered, nervously trying to carry all of Chloe's boxes at once. "I saw him through the window while I waited for Chloe outside the palace."

"No way!" Alya grabbed her head in shock and turned to Marinette. "This must be what the King's meeting is about! How is this possible? Did you have any idea?"

"Not at all..." Marinette lied. "But didn't you say you didn't want to be late. We should really get going..." She had a feeling the conversation was going to take an inconvenient turn and she wanted to leave the presence of the Queen Bee.

"Hold it!" Chloe held up her hand, stopping Marinette. "You haven't talked to Adrikins since he came back, have you?"

"Me? Talk with a prince?" Marinette pushed Chloe's shoulder playfully though she wished she could have been more forceful. "I didn't even know he was still alive."

Marinette rubbed the back of her neck anxiously and prayed that her weak lies would be sufficient. The last thing she needed was Chloe on her back. Leave it to Adrien to spill the beans although Marinette had never outright told him to keep it a secret. She just assumed he would know better especially around Chloe. Trusting a boy with amnesia may have been the wrong choice.

"You're right. What was I thinking?" Chloe clapped her hands and yelled, "Sabrina! Put those boxes in the carriage! We're off to see Adrien and hopefully we won't pass by these two losers again." Sabrina nodded and quickly ran to the carriage which was parked nearby. Before Chloe left, she stuck out her tongue at Marinette and Alya. Then she trotted away, satisfied with herself.

" _That was a close one,"_ Marinette thought until she felt a hand on her shoulder. " _Maybe not as close as I thought..."_

"Girl, what was that about?" Alya exclaimed as she shook with excitement. "Prince Adrien's alive! That's gotta be what the press conference is about today. Talk about a scoop! It's like a miracle! I can already see the title: Beloved Prince Back from the Dead. Readers will eat it up!"

"I'm sure you'll write a great story about it!" Marinette pretended to smile, but was secretly hoping Alya would drop the topic. Not to mention, if she did any research into the story, she'd find only dead ends. No one was supposed to know Prince Adrien had been living as Chat Noir for the past year. Although, there was no reasonable explanation as to why he was suddenly alive. Marinette had left coming up with that one to King Gabriel.

"But why did Chloe think you've talked to him?" Alya's eyes narrowed. "You haven't been holding out on me, right?"

"O-of course not! When would I ever get the chance to talk to the prince especially a dead one? Think about it!"

"Hmm... guess you're right. Chloe must be crazy, but what else is new?"

"Yep, she's real crazy..."

"We should really get moving now!" Alya gasped as she pointed in the distance. Not too far away was the castle gates and there was already a huge crowd moving toward it. "I'm really excited for this story so we've got to get up close! Not to mention, this could be your chance to reunite with your one true love!"

"Let's save the love for later. For now, we should find some seats."

Marinette pushed Alya along towards the castle. " _We've already reunited, but thanks for trying..."_ Marinette thought. " _And I can't wait until I get to explain that the feeling is mutual. My entire love life will probably make into the headlines of the next day's newspaper."_

After a bit of walking, the girls found themselves at the edge of a massive congregation of people. People were lined up far past the palace gates, so far that it would be impossible to hear the king's speech from the distance. Still, people were eager to hear their leader speak and would happily wait amongst the crowd for his news to reach them.

"Uh-uh! Nope!" Alya frowned as she tightly gripped her bag. "I'm not getting caught back here. Marinette, we're moving towards the front. Hang on!"

Before Marinette could argue, Alya grabbed her arm and pulled her through the crowd, nearly knocking people over. There were a few angry grunts and grumbles, but nobody stopped them so Alya and Marinette just kept going. They quickly found themselves in the front, standing at the edge of the wooden platform brought out for the king's speeches.

"This is more like it!" Alya grinned. She pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil. "Pay close attention," she told Marinette. "I need to get all the details. Prince Adrien coming back from the dead has got to be the biggest story in history and I'm going to be the first one to report about it!"

"Keep your voice down," Marinette whispered, signaling for Alya to lower her volume. "Look over there!" She pointed to a portion of the crowd that was sectioned off. Among the group was the city's most elite Parisians. They were friends of the king and were always formally invited to all his speeches. Marinette's parents were among the group which they had mentioned earlier. She still didn't understand why, but that wasn't what bothered her the most. What bugged her was the blonde haired bee sitting beside her overly wealthy father.

"If Chloe sees you causing a ruckus, she won't hesitate to kick us out."

"Alright," Alya sighed, putting up her hands in defeat. Marinette was right. She tended to get a little over excited and she didn't want to risk her story because of Chloe.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps filled the air and the entire crowd went quiet. The king stepped onto the stage and approached the podium in the center. He was dressed as regal as always with the same impartial look he always had. But this time, he wasn't alone. Behind him was Prince Adrien, dressed in equally royal clothing. It was different than what Marinette was used to seeing him in. It wasn't black leather or a worn cloak. He truly looked like a prince, but it felt like the distance between them had grown even more. Marinette felt like she was looking at a stranger.

"It really is him," Alya gasped, her mouth gaping. "But could it really be possible? The king himself declared Prince Adrien dead!"

Marinette covered Alya's mouth as she strained to hear King Gabriel's words. "Just listen..."

King Gabriel cleared his throat and began to speak. "People of Paris. It is my great honor to bring you this joyous news. My son, who was long thought dead and gone, has returned to us once more."

Gasps echoed through the crowd. Quiet murmurs grew loud as people started to question the king's words. To everyone, it seemed impossible. How could somebody come back from the dead?

"I'm sure you all have questions," King Gabriel continued. "So I must confess the truth as is my duty as king. When my son vanished a year ago, I spent much time searching for him with fruitless results. Against my better judgement, I gave up on my search and my son. I believed he was truly dead and gone which I relayed to you all. But it seems that the heavens are on our side as my son has finally returned."

"I cannot speak of his time away from us. He has changed and grown as a man, something I regret never being able to watch. Despite his absence, he is still my son and still this country's prince. He will become a great leader and I hope you will all accept him back into our country's history. Give him all the love you shared before. Now, my son has a few words he wishes to share with you. Please listen with an open mind and heart."

King Gabriel stepped back and Adrien approached the podium. Marinette bit her lip, suddenly feeling worried. " _Isn't this too much for him?"_ she thought. She could see Adrien's nervous expression and wished she could leap onto the stage and hug him. " _He doesn't remember anything about being a prince! He needs time to readjust. How could he give a speech like this?"_

Her heart sank as she answered her own question. " _Maybe he's better off than I thought... He doesn't need me to watch over him. He's got maids and assistants or whatever else he could ever want. He's a prince and his time with me as Chat Noir doesn't change that. Maybe he's trying to leave that old life behind. I can't blame him. His father's expectations are large as are the kingdom's. It's only a matter of time until he gets so far away from me that I can't even touch him. Love... he doesn't need that or me anymore."_

"H-Hello..." Adrien addressed the crowd, his voice cracking. His face turned red, a sign of his embarrassment. " _Don't get discouraged,"_ he thought as he took a deep breath. " _This is important."_ He relaxed his shoulders and cleared his throat. "People of Paris, I thank for your warm welcome towards my return. I know I've been gone a long... long time, but I hope you will reaccept me as this country's Prince. I might be different than you remember, but I am still me and I hope you will accept this new me."

"I cannot explain my absence, but it was a long struggle to find myself. I felt scared and alone like the entire world was against me. I had no one to trust or rely on, not even my own father. My life as prince vanished from my mind as I struggled to survive in a different and threatening world."

"Adrien..." Marinette whispered, finding herself engrossed in his speech. He sounded anxious, yet confident. He appeared princely, but spoke informally. In many ways, he reminded Marinette of the Prince Adrien she met in the rain, official but kind-hearted. However, his posture and attitude struck her as one of Chat Noir. They had combined into one amazing boy. It was the boy who had truly won Marinette's heart.

Alya noticed Marinette mumble something to herself. She looked up from her notepad and saw a vacant look in her friend's eyes. Marinette was staring directly at Prince Adrien, hardly even blinking. " _Is she okay?"_ Alya worried, wondering if she should snap her friend back to reality. " _I thought news of Prince Adrien's return would be good for her, but maybe it was more shocking than anything..."_

"But I wouldn't have made it through this journey alone," Adrien continued, his heart racing. "Telling people of my return wasn't the only reason for this gathering. There is something more important I have to do. I can hardly hold it in another moment. When I was on my own, alone, one girl changed everything. She is brave, confident, and witty. She's the most beautiful girl in Paris with the kindest heart. She would put herself in danger to protect even her enemy. This girl quickly became my entire world..."

" _Is he talking about me?"_ Marinette panicking, suddenly feeling tense. " _Why is he talking about me? What's he doing?"_

"Who do you think he's talking about?" Alya whispered into Marinette's ear. "Sounds like a pretty special someone so don't get too down, girl. You've already found someone else, but I am wondering who this mystery girl is. Got any ideas?"

"No clue..."

Adrien tightly gripped the podium as his voice grew louder. Professing his love was something he became well-versed at and he felt in the zone. His Chat Noir side was beginning to take over. "When I returned to being prince, I realized I couldn't spend my every day with her. The only person I cared about was ripped from my side, but I'm going to change that. I want to make my life with her and I want all of Paris as my witness."

"Oh my god..." Alya could hardly breathe. This was an even bigger scoop! Prince Adrien had vanished for a year and considered dead by all, but he was actually spending time with a girl! And he wanted to marry her! As Alya tried to scribble down notes as fast as she could, she noticed Chloe's face warp into one of disgust and horror. It seems like she didn't know Prince Adrien had a secret lover either.

" _He isn't..."_ Marinette thought, her eyes widening. " _Oh God. He can't be... that's too gutsy even for Chat Noir!"_ She tightly gripped her dress to keep her hands from trembling.

"My father and I arranged this event so I may ask her to marry me," Adrien smiled as his gaze turned to the crowd. He found a familiar face staring back at him, just as he expected. Taking a leap of faith, Adrien jumped off the stage and into the crowd which was followed by loud gasps. People moved out of the way as he walked towards a particular girl until he stopped right in front of her.

"Marinette..." he smiled, gently grabbing her hand. Their eyes locked. Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out ring adorned in diamonds. "I already almost lost you but I won't make that mistake again. This may seem too sudden... and it is. But it's the only way I know we can be together forever. My lady, my princess, my... Marinette. Will you marry me?" He held up the ring and slid it onto her finger. Marinette hardly moved, still stunned.

"I-I..."

Marinette glanced down at the ring. It was a sign of lifelong commitment. A symbol of everlasting love. And she was only sixteen. Yet she had fought evil akumas, broken magic spells, and kissed a prince. Would it be the strangest thing that ever happened? And, like everything else, maybe it had been a part of her destiny. Her dream, though when conceived was far-fetched, had transformed into reality. And who could say no to their dreams coming true?

"Yes... I will!"

Tears flooding from her eyes, Marinette jumped forward and hugged Adrien, nearly knocking him over. With a chuckle, he hugged her back, holding back his own tears. From the crowd, Tom and Sabine watched, happy to see their daughter happy though they felt confused. Beside them was King Gabriel, who for the first time since his wife passed, felt like everything in the world was right again.

Marinette and Adrien stayed wrapped in each other's tight embrace, desperately trying to grasp the realness of their words. After so much struggle and heartbreak, their true love was finally realized and they would never be separated again.

Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette and Adrien. It didn't matter. They would be together for always.


	25. Chapter 25

**Thank you so much to everyone that read and enjoyed this story! It's been a journey writing this fic. I started drafts for it almost a year ago and I can't believe it's finally come to an end. The support has been wonderful and I've loved reading everyone's kind and encouraging comments. Thank you for everything! :)**

* * *

 **3 Months Later...**

Marinette sat in a chaise longue beside the blazing fireplace. A red blanket draped over her legs as she turned the page of an old album. It was filled with faded and slightly blurred black and white photos. Alongside the photos were stories and tales written in elegant cursive. Marinette ran her finger against the ink. It was the closest she would ever get to Adrien's mother.

"I appreciate you showing this to me," Marinette smiled as she set the album on a nearby side table. She took her cup of tea from beside it, daintily taking a sip. "But... have you shown it to Adrien yet?"

Her companion, King Gabriel who sat opposite to her, shook his head. "We've discussed some of its contents, but he's never asked to see it. He rarely asks about the past unless it's about his mother. However, I thought it best for you to know."

"Thank you... I always imagined Adrien as an adorable child, but this album exceeds my expectations. And I've learned a bit more about his mother. I think it greatly bothers him that he can't remember anything about her."

"Nathalie and I have caught him staring at his mother's portrait many times," King Gabriel sighed. "She's the only thing he seems to care about remembering. I wish there was something I could do for him..."

"Don't be sad, Master!" Nooroo appeared from behind King Gabriel's chair, his wings fluttering frantically. "I'm sure Prince Adrien will get his memories back someday! If we keep working hard at it, I think-"

"Please be calm, Nooroo." King Gabriel patted the creature's head to soothe him. "It is up to Adrien to decide what's best for him. All we can do is assist him in his journey. Marinette here has been an important part of that."

Marinette blushed. "I will always be there for Adrien," she said as she looked into the fire. "And I can say I've seen improvement. During his first month in the palace, he came to the bakery nearly every night and once you invited me to stay, he visited my room just as often. But now he's confident enough to act on his own. The speech he gave last week in honor of the library's new wing was incredible! He's come so far."

"I believe he's only come so far because he's had you by his side. You have been an invaluable gift to him and to Paris. Ladybug and Chat Noir have had their fair share of work in protecting Paris as of late."

"It does look like Paris has gotten into trouble once again. There's been lots of strange incidents of giant monsters, collapsing buildings, and enemy armies, but whenever Chat Noir and I begin to fight, they disappear into thin air. They're more frightening illusions than an actual threat."

"I'm sure you'll find the culprit," King Gabriel smiled. "Even the worst supervillain doesn't stand a chance against the two of you."

"I wish it was that easy," laughed Marinette, the blanket nearly falling off her. "But I don't expect it to stay a problem much longer. Adrien and I have planned a trip to library later this week. Tikki has a theory on this mysterious villain that we plan to investigate. Between fighting crime and royal affairs, it's hard to believe we have time for anything anymore!"

"Like a potential wedding?" a cute voice squeaked from beside the fire. Tikki left her warm position napping by the fireplace and flew into Marinette's face. "Please! Please! Please!"

"Soon, Tikki. I promise," Marinette giggled, patting Tikki's head. "Adrien and I want to wait at least a little longer. We're still young and we've been so busy as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Not to mention, Alya and Nathalie are still in the planning stage. And Adrien continues to forget to ask Nino to be in the wedding."

"Speaking of the future," King Gabriel interrupted. "Marinette, how are your designs coming along? I received much praise from the foreign dignitaries I dined with last month about my outfit. It was a grand success!"

"The next one is almost finished! It's a gown for Nathalie so when she has to attend events with you, she can look as beautiful as she deserves to be! She's been so wonderful in helping me adjust to the castle. I would've been lost without her. This design is the least I can do."

After receiving the kind compliment, Marinette smiled warmly as she thought about how far King Gabriel had come these past months. He remained patient with Adrien as the boy tried to recover his memories. He never pushed royal duties too hard, always offering Adrien the option to back out. King Gabriel accepted Marinette and constantly called on her for advice on Adrien. He had become a good father once more and regained a jolly smile that rarely left his face.

Marinette's thoughts were interrupted as the doors to the sitting room opened. Chat Noir burst into the room, snow dusting his shoulders and hair. He shook his head, knocking the snow off, and smiled. "Good afternoon!" he bowed, gesturing to Marinette and his father. "Plagg, detransformation please!"

There was a green flash as Chat Noir's suit melted away to reveal Prince Adrien. With a bright grin, he ran over to Marinette and sat down beside her. "How are you, princess?" he asked, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"It's been a couple hours, chaton." Marinette rolled her eyes. "And I thought we agreed to avoid entering the palace while using our miraculouses. We've got to keep our secret identities a secret."

"Sorry, my lady!" Adrien apologized. "But after lessons with Nino it was just so cold and snowy , Plagg and I weren't too keen on walking all the way back. So..." Adrien shrugged sheepishly, knowing full well that he would be forgiven. Marinette could never be mad at him.

"I suppose I can let it go this time," Marinette sighed, shaking her head. She began to laugh as she ruffled Adrien's hair. "But one of these days, you're going to get caught and Tikki and I won't be there to help you out!"

"I'm sure we can handle it," Adrien grinned. "Right, Plagg?"

Plagg flew on top of Adrien's lap and collapsed. Letting out an overdramatic moan, he said "Enough of your romantic chit chat already! I'm starving!"

"In a minute." Adrien hushed his kwami, prepared to share better news. "I haven't even told Marinette and my father about some of the memories that returned today."

"What?" Marinette and Gabriel cried in unison. Over the past 3 months, Adrien's memory only had a few breakthroughs. He started to remember some names and faces, but there were still many gaps. The Adrien of the past remained a mystery to him.

"It wasn't anything major," Adrien confessed, shrugging his shoulders. "I remember building a snowman right outside the palace. It wasn't a very good snowman, but I tried. There was someone in the background, praising me for it, but I can't remember that much. I can't even recall what their voice sounds like."

Gabriel pursed his lips before taking a breath. "I believe that person was your mother. I was never one for the outdoors, but she accompanied you everywhere you went. No doubt she would have been with you."

"My mother..."

The part of his memory Adrien desperately wanted back. He knew nothing about her aside from the stories his father told him. It was like woman who had raised him and showered him with love never existed in the first place. But perhaps that was beginning to change. The fact that she even appeared in one of Adrien's memories provided him with an ounce of hope. Someday, he would remember her.

"That's significant progress!" Marinette cheered as she leaned over and gave Adrien a big hug. "You're going to remember everything in no time. We can only go up from here!"

Marinette smiled at him with bright, blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Adrien couldn't resist giving her a kiss on the forehead which solicited a disgusted groan from Plagg. "Do you know I love you?" he asked, grinning.

"I'm well aware," Marinette giggled. The two broke into further laughter, forgetting that King Gabriel was still in the room. However, he wasn't bothered. Instead, he was delighted to see his son and his princess so happy. It reminded him of his younger years when he first met his wife. They had been just the same.

"Food?" Plagg yelled, interrupting the sweet moment. "I'm dying of starvation!"

"Alright! Alright! Calm down," Adrien said, scooping up Plagg in his hands. "I suppose we're making a trip to the kitchen. Marinette, Tikki, would you like to accompany us?"

Marinette looked to Tikki who eagerly nodded. "It would be our pleasure," Marinette smiled. She linked her arm with Adrien's. The two stood up and headed off to the kitchen, inseparable for even a small walk through the castle.

As they left, Gabriel set down his cup of tea and chuckled to himself. "What's so funny, Master?" Nooroo asked.

"Nothing..." Gabriel said, half to himself. "I'm just very glad he met that girl."


End file.
